The Courses Of Common Family
by BeatOneHeart
Summary: A drabble of (sometimes headcanon) Uchiha family, all fluff and common family life, as common as a shinobi life can be. Chapter 11: "Hope, Believe, Reality" - request on tumbr - Sarada finds out about the massacre and seeks comfort by Naruto s side.
1. Of Bedsheets and Picnics

_1_

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 _Of Bedsheets and Picnics_

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"Saizo, try to put more tactic in your style and wiggle less clueless with your limbs! –"

"- Hai, pap- wait, _what_?!"

"-Seizo, move faster or your brother will get you even if he doesn´t know if he´s punching or kicking you!"

"- I-I´ll try!"

Sakura watched with amusement as Sasuke trained their twin sons. She couldn´t stop her giggling listening to Sasuke giving instructions and teasing their boys on purpose. She could see through his stoic façade, even though he was of course trying to hide his own smirk. The scene looked all the more funny to her since her husband held their youngest son on his shoulders. The little boy watched his big brothers with fascination and excitement, squirming and squealing in his childish language, making it especially difficult for Sasuke to hold him in place.

Sakura gave the scenery a last content smile before disappearing inside their house to get the remaining fresh laundry she had to hang up in the backyard. Those smiles were quite frequent these last years, since Sasuke had come back from his long, long mission. Sarada was twelve at the time, when the Otsutsuki accident occured. It was after that when Sasuke and Naruto paid special attention to the new nin-technology. Naruto had the slightly crazy idea to use those new tools to copy the travel-skills of Sasuke´s rinnegan, so that groups of specialized and trained ninja could travel instead of Sasuke, who would become their new chief. In the end, the Konohagakure Outer Police Force was a born project, ready to be raised. It was then that Sasuke finally grasped the opportunity to spend time with his family - and apparently, add new members to it.

Sakura had almost finished with her house chores. The white bed sheets visible on the clotheshorse were proof of that.

An they were not quite far away from the twins´ fighting place.

Sasuke was left alone with his children. As he wanted to give the boys more instructions, he felt Sousuke trying to close his eyes with his chubby hands. The following giggling of the youngest made him wiggling more on Sasuke´s shoulders, which made Sasuke concentrating on holding his balance and forgetting about the fight going on in front of him. He started to hold Sousuke´s hands out of his face when-

" _WHAAAA-"_

-Saizo grabbed his twin brother by his leg, and threw him with two twirls right into the white and newly-washed bed sheets. Seizo collided with them, dragging them all over the muddy ground in the backyard. After that, the sheets looked rather brown than white, honestly.

Sasuke and Saizo immediately rushed to Seizo and dragged him out of the sheets, inspecting him on injuries. Sousuke came along, as he was still rested on his papa´s shoulders.

"Are you alright? Does it hurt somewhere?"

"I-I´m alright, I think."

"I can´t see any injuries, either."

"-hat happened? I heard Seizo crying all of a sudd-!"

Sakura, as the worried mother that she was, rushed out of the house, the filled clothes basket in her hands. As she stood on the porch that offered a good sight of the scenery before her, though, she came to a halt, immediately.

Sasuke knew that her eyes were wandering towards the brown and dirty spots on the sheets.

 _Shoot._

As fast as he could, he told his sons – whose faces paled at the sight of their mother by now – to hold onto him tightly. They did as they were told, and Sasuke flash-stepped in front of his wife whose face was still agape by what she saw.

Sasuke brought the most beautiful and charming smile on his face (and learned to make by the years for _special_ situations), brought his hand up and poked Sakura´s forehead. After that, he spoke in the softest tone that he could master.

" _I´ll see you when I´m back_. Don´t break this house for our family´s sake, wife."

Sakura´s face heated up immediately at the contact and closeness when she blinked for the first time after several seconds of stiffness.

" _H-Heeeh?_!"

Sasuke took that as a chance, and jumped out of their backyard as fast as he could, running to the farthest training grounds he knew.

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 _"_ _SHANNAROOOOO!"_

Sasuke tried his best not to stiffen as he heard the _very_ familiar cry. He settled at just _that_ porch by a river, since it was far enough he believed. He sighed at the thought that he might change his mind after he heard that cry, though. He even felt his twins´ bodies tense at the sound, their faces turning pale again. Only the youngest of them all, still placed on Sasuke´s shoulders, seemed to be joyful.

"That was mama! Mama! Papa hear mama!", Sousuke giggled.

Sasuke let out an amused, but still nervous, sigh. "Ah, I heard her, Sousuke. Loud and clear."

The father loosened his hold on the twins and settled Sousuke on the ground.

Seizo was the first to awaken from the fearful shock. "Uhm, papa, will mama come after us?"

Sasuke sighed again, the third time in a row. "No. She will calm down by herself. Don´t worry." _I hope_.

Seizo and Saizo relaxed at the information a little, the latter speaking up, turning aggressively to his brother.

"It´s all your fault, Seizo! Did you have to take the sheets with you and drag them on the ground, heh?!"

"Wh-what?! It was clearly _your_ fault! You threw me there in the first place!"

"You know, a real shinobi would have dodged my attack. You´re the weakest guy I know!"

"A _real_ shinobi would have had better tactics! You heard papa, you just wiggle with your arms and legs and don´t know what you do!"

"Tch. You were too _slow_ to understand my strategy. Even papa said that!"

"He didn´t mean it like that! You´re so dumb!"

"Of course he did! You´re such a moron!"

"You-!"

" _Shut up, now_!"

Sasuke looked at the two arguing twins, his sharingan activated – only for the right effect, of course.

It helped. Saizo and Seizo turned around to face their father, mouth shut, but anger still visible on their faces. Oh, and an all too familiar pout on their mouth. Sasuke related it to Sakura, even if his opinion was debatable for other people. He turned the sharingan off.

"It was an accident." The father looked first to Saizo- "You need to think while you fight-" -and then to Seizo. "-and to have faster reflexes. It doesn´t help if you use my observations for your arguments. You have to learn by real situations like this, not by throwing your lacking abilities on your opponent´s faces by talking."

"…"

"You scared your brother, too."

The twins turned to their brother, him holding onto his father´s leg with little tears in his eyes and a tiny throbbing mouth.

Saizo and Seizo felt guilt at the sight and approached their brother. They apologized and patted Sousuke´s head. And that was all they had to do to make him smile and hugging his elder brothers.

Sasuke´s eyes softened. He was proud of his sons´ relationship.

Saizo then smirked mischievously at his father.

"Ne, papa?"

"Hn?"

"Did you learn to run away from mama in your trainings, too?"

The boys snickered. Sousuke, too, as he loved to do what his brothers did, even if he was far too young to understand the joke.

Sasuke´s eye twitched at that. But he didn´t respond, as he preferred to end the conversation there.

"It´s time to continue your training."

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With a bag of bento boxes in her hand, Sakura approached her family by the river. Sasuke sat under a tree, observing the boys. The twins were fighting again, and Sousuke played by himself, running after a yellow butterfly.

Sasuke slowly turned his head in Sakura´s direction. She smiled at him in return, which irritated Sasuke more, and held her bag up high.

"I brought dinner with me. Thought you´d be hungry since it´s been hours and you haven´t come home yet."

Sasuke didn´t miss the slight undertone in her sentence, but decided to stay oblivious about it. The kids though turned to their mother, smiled widely while running and gave their mother a hug.

"Aw, I missed you, too. Now it´s time for dinner, yes?"

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After they finished their picnic, Sasuke and Sakura sat together on a blanket next to a tree. Sousuke lied on his mother´s lap sleeping, while his older brothers played chasey.

Sakura sighed happily, softly stroking Sousuke´s hair and resting her head on her husband´s shoulder. Sasuke felt himself relax at that gesture.

"Say, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

"You think Seizo will finally catch up with Saizo some time?"

Sasuke grunted amused at that. "Ah. Some time."

Chubby Seizo ran after Saizo, trying to trap him, but his slow legs wouldn´t make him do it.

Sakura grinned. "He´s still such a fatty child. Even your training can´t make him lose some weight."

"Tch." Sasuke tried not to sound offended. "My training did make him lose weight. He´s given too much candy. And he´s not that fat anymore. He´s lazy, that´s all."

Sakura giggled at that. "But darling. You know I can´t control it. He´s so cute when he´s pouting. All of them are." She stroked Sousuke´s hair more affectionately at that. "That´s why you always give Saizo all the tomatoes he wants." Sakura lifted her head from Sasuke´s shoulder, sitting straight again and grinning at him. He only rolled his eyes at that.

Sensing their sons approaching, they turned to them expectantly. Saizo rubbed his eyes and Seizo looked as exhausted as his brother when he strolled behind him, only slower.

The married couple glanced amused at each other, then turning to the twins again.

"Mama, papa …", Saizo began.

"Yes?" Sakura answered, holding his hand.

"We´re tired", Seizo answered.

"Oh, if my babies are tired, I´ll pack up our things and we´ll go home, yes?"

The twin boys only nodded weakly.

Sasuke took Sousuke from Sakura, and both started to pack their things together. When they were on their way home, Saizo pulled at Sasuke´s vest.

"… Can you carry me, papa?"

Seizo pulled on the other end of Sasuke´s vest.

"Me, too."

Both parents smiled at that. Sasuke handed Sousuke to his wife. After that, he kneeled down offering the twins a chance to climb on his back. Saizo´s head rested on his right shoulder, Seizo´s on his left. Sasuke held the boys steadily with one arm each before standing up.

Sakura looked at him, helping him to adjust the twins better on his back. She smiled at him.

"Ready?"

"Ah."

They started to walk towards their home again. Saizo and Seizo´s soft snoring sounds were proof of their little journey to the dreamland.

"You really tired them out, darling."

"Hn."

"I guess you´re tired, too. I´m going to make you some tea when we´re home and we´ve tucked the children to bed."

"Ah."

"And you´ll need to take a bath, too. The boys can take one in the morning. I don´t want to wake them up now."

"Hn."

As they entered the main streets, some villagers watched the family with adored faces. Some smiled at them. Some greeted them.

"Ah, Sakura-san. I wish you and your family a good evening."

"Good evening, taichou-san."

After some greetings, Sakura smiled mockingly at her husband.

"You know, since you´re head of the Outer Police Force you´re quite popular again, _taichou-san_."

"Tch. As if."

"Oh, I can even see some women looking at you with wrong eyes, Sasuke-kun. That one with the purple hat over there, for example."

"Seriously?"

"Hmmm."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"But you know, I feel a bit smug about that." Sakura grinned at him. "Because after they look at you, they look at me and our children, and then their expressions turn into different ones."

Sasuke snorted amused. "You´re impossible."

Sakura giggled, happily.

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Sasuke closed the door of the twins´ room before meeting Sakura in the main hall.

Sakura smiled softly at him, handing towel and night clothes to him.

"I prepared your bath while you took the boys to bed."

"Ah. Thanks."

Sasuke took his things from her, receiving a kiss on his cheek in the process.

"And thanks for taking care of the children today. You´re a great papa."

Sasuke grunted, closing his eyes. His ears turned a little shade of pink as he remembered what lead him to train with them so intensely in the first place.

"Sorry about the sheets. I didn´t mean to let you clean them by yourself, but I thought you wanted to be left alone."

"Hmmm, you´re right and wrong about that."

Sasuke opened his eyes and looked a bit irritated.

"Hn?"

"Well, you were right about _you getting out of my sight_ , or me being left alone, as you say." Sasuke´s lips made a thin line. "I was angry. And even angrier when you pulled that forehead-poke-card and said those words about _destroying houses_." Sakura arched an eyebrow.

Sasuke looked a little abashed.

"..."

"It startled me. So it worked. But the other thing. I put the dirty sheets in an empty laundry bag. I didn´t feel like washing them again, so, I decided to hand the task over to you." Sakura smiled sweetly, gesturing in Sasuke´s direction, too casually for his taste.

He sighed wearily at that. "Right now?"

"It can wait till tomorrow, actually. Just take a bath and enjoy the tea I will make you after. You deserve it, papa."

"Ah."

Sakura smiling and Sasuke nodding his head, they parted their ways to the bathroom and kitchen.

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 _Fin._


	2. First Love

_2_

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 _First Love._

 _For SS-month ´17_

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It was 2 am in the morning when Sasuke and his 13-year-old son, Saizo, sat in the living room together, glaring at each other.

Sasuke himself was on the right side of his favourite couch, while Saizo sat on the left side, keeping a meaningful distance between them.

 _Hn, annoying kid,_ thought the one.

 _Annoying tou-chan, shannaro!,_ thought the other.

It all started when Sasuke came home about ten minutes ago, happy to finally get a few hours of sleep after a full day of paper work at his office, as he sensed his twin-sons´ chakra from the hallway of his home. They came back from their mission in snow after three weeks time, and were supposed to sleep their exhaustion away. However, it seemed like one of them was acting against Sasuke´s common sense, and was wide awake at this hour. So Sasuke stepped in his twins´ room to check them out, silently ordering Saizo to follow him in the living room, not to disturb the other twin while sleeping.

Hence, father and son finding themselves in the current situation; Sasuke being angry because Saizo didn´t open up to him like he used to when he was little, and Saizo being angry because he was dragged into the living room against his will.

The adult sighed, rubbing his face, and started the conversation.

"... How are you and Seizo? After the mission, I mean."

 _Aiming for smalltalk? What the heck is wrong with you, tou-chan?_

"... Good. I don´t know about Seizo, though. He is sleeping, you know, like _normal_ people."

"Says the one who was up at this hour in the first place."

"... Hn."

"Hn. ..."

Sasuke groaned internally. Saizo was behaving like him, which he didn´t understand. He was like his mother when it came to personality, heck even more like Boruto, even inherited her hair and eye colour, but with Sasuke´s facial features. He never was angry at his father, never had Sasuke´s annoyed glare on his face and definitely has never, ever said "Hn" for _once_ until today. The concerned father suspected that something must have happened on the mission to Snow.

"So, the mission went well?"

"Yeah, I already told you so."

"Do you have any injuries?"

"Just a few scratches and stuff. And Kohaku caught a cold, but Seizo and I are alright."

"Kohaku is ill?"

Kohaku was the third genin on the twins´ team, being the only girl. Sasuke never showed anything, but Kohaku was like a second daughter to him already, hence he was very protective of her. She, on the other hand, would always call him her favourite uncle "Sasuke-jiji", which would annoy him a bit. But just the slightest bit.

"Not that bad. It´s just a little cold."

"Hn."

"Can I go to bed now?"

"Only if you tell me why you aren´t sleeping like a dead body just as your brother after coming back from your mission."

"But Seizo _always_ sleeps like a dead body!"

"You know what I mean. And don´t yell at me, there are people sleeping in this house. Be more respectful."

The sharp tongue of his father frustrated Saizo even more. He put up his legs and hugged them, all the while keeping a pout on his face. He looked more like Sakura in that position. That was a sign for Sasuke. His son was turning into his character again.

It was time to give him more attention.

Sasuke turned a bit so he was facing his son better. He looked as long at him as it took Saizo to look back at his father. They held an intense stare.

Sasuke began to speak again.

"I´m going to ask you again, but for the last time. If you don´t answer my question, I´m going to wake your mother and tell her what happened here. Then she´s going to be very concerned, and annoyed about your attitude. She´s going to be _sad_ because of _you_ , and the moment she´ll be angry about you, she´ll lose her temper and we might end up _sleeping on the streets tonight_ , if you catch my meaning."

"... We can always go to uncle Naruto´s an-"

" _Saizo._ "

Now Sasuke was glaring more intensely at his son. Saizo could swear he saw a tinge of red in his father´s right eye. The pink-haired boy hesitated a bit, but as his father´s glare grew more and more angry, he supposed it was time to give up.

"… I … On the mission …"

Saizo´s cheeks and neck grew red. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this, but didn´t respond. He knew from experience that patience was the best option to make a teenager open up to you.

"… There was … W-wait! You first have to swear and promise not to tell kaa-chan any of this conversation! No one!"

 _That´s interesting. They´re all mommy´s boys, I thought._ "It depends on what you´ll tell me."

"B… but …"

"If this is something as relevant as to talk to your mother about, because she´s your parent, too, then I will."

"… And what if it´s a manly thing?"

Sasuke´s eye twitched. _What the hell happened on that mission?!_

" _Tell. Me_."

Saizo didn´t miss the very more demanding tone his father was talking with.

"Th … There was this girl," Saizo began, his face now as red as some Uchihas´ favourite food. He didn´t dare to make eye contact with Sasuke. "I met her in Snow when I accidently lost the team. I got more and more colder and collapsed because of my decreasing body heat. And all went black-"

"You just told me that everything went well."

"H-hear me out, okay? So, everything went black and when I woke up and there was this … this … this-"

Sasuke felt his patience definitely fading. "This _what_?"

"-this _girl!"_

Saizo tried to block his face with his hands. The redness of his face spread all over his body, a not much appreciated trait from his mother.

Sasuke, on the other hand, blinked once, twice, then thrice and …

 _I don´t understand his problem._

"I don´t understand your problem."

"I … I don´t _know_! I suddenly had this feeling and it felt strange, but good, too, and it felt _right_ and since then I can´t help but want this _feeling_ to always be inside me!" Saizo exclaimed with wild gestures of his whole body and started babbling faster and faster with growing excitement. "We found out that she didn´t have a name because she couldn´t talk and that she was called ´the medic´ because she treated some villagers there with medical ninjutsu and she was _amazing_ at that and-"

Sasuke stopped listening to his son as he couldn´t understand a single word anymore since he was talking too fast by now. But as he observed his son´s antics and expressions more intensely, he suddenly remembered those expressions from a _certain someone_.

"-so we spent a lot of time together! And we became very good friends but my team had to leave for Konoha." At this point Saizo suddenly slowed down with his every movement and talking. He stared in the air at nothing, just thinking and being completely off.

"…"

"… … So?"

"So." Saizo´s lips quirked up just the slightest bit. "We had to say our farewells. I approached her. I was sad at first because I knew I would miss her a lot. But when I stood in front of her, I suddenly felt happy for getting to know her and for thinking of visiting her in the future again."

Saizo was smiling very brightly by now. His cheeks turned a little pink again. The young boy started talking, but as quiet as possible.

"Then I looked her straight in the eyes. And smiled even wider I guess. And then I lifted my hand-"

Sasuke leaned forward-

"-higher and higher-"

-his eyes getting wider-

"-and … and I poked her and said ´ _Till next time_ ´."

-and suddenly realization hit him.

 _His son found his first love._

Sasuke was nervous, not knowing what to say to this. Especially because his son used _his_ famous _forehead poke._ Embarrassment hit him, since he couldn´t remember a time when his sons saw him poking Sakura´s forehead. It was always a private matter.

He wished Sakura was sitting here instead of him, she always was better at understanding feelings and stuff.

But he somehow was happy to be the first person to witness this. It was even amusing to him, to see that his son was going through things he went through, too, but maybe just in a Sakura way.

He smirked at that, somehow, just _somehow_ the slightest bit proud. Just as he opened his mouth to reply to that, Saizo talked.

"And you know what, tou-chan?"

"Hn?"

Saizo looked Sasuke straight in the eyes, showing him his brightest and happiest smile, cheeks flushed, making Sasuke imagine to have his wife in front of him.

"I haven´t regret it _once_."

Sasuke let out an amused _´tch´_ and snorted, ruffling Saizo´s hair. _Just as stubborn like her. Maybe a bit like me, too._

"So, why couldn´t you sleep then?"

Saizo´s smile faded slightly.

"I miss her, that´s all."

"I see."

Sasuke fully understood what his son felt. After the war, he went on his redemption journey, just as he understood his feelings for Sakura. It was the same when he had to leave not only Sakura but Sarada as well, two times when Sarada was a little child, and after the ´Shin-incident´.

"What did you do?"

Saizo broke Sasuke out of his musings.

"When you had to leave kaa-chan and Sarada nee-chan back then. When you missed them. What did you do to endure that?"

Of course, Saizo knew of this. Sarada always complained about it when the twins told her that Sasuke didn´t have enough time for them when they were younger. _"Tch, you_ so _don´t have the right to complain about that. I grew up without papa for almost ten years. You should be grateful to only see him_ sleeping."

"Tch, and who said I missed that annoying woman and child." Sasuke smirked.

Saizo chuckled. "Hehehe, _tou-chaaaaan_."

Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes.

"It´s not easy. It never was. But I knew I did the right thing. And I knew that your mother was strong, that she would do well without me. I believed in her, in the bond that connected us. I knew that it was just a matter of time to come back to them. When I was younger, I never truly believed in big dreams of the future. There were other … _circumstances_ than when I was an adult. But life taught me to always hold onto dreams, onto _bonds_. I hear you spent a lot of time with that girl. That you became good friends. So, if she is as a good friend of you as you told me, then I believe that she feels the same as you."

Saizo brightened up at this and gave him his best goofy grin, almost challenging Naruto or Boruto with it. Sasuke nearly sweatdropped. _He clearly spends too much time with the dobes._

Suddenly, Saizo´s smile turned into a wicked one.

"Heh, never thought you´d be such a softie, tou-chan. Hehehe, can´t wait to tell Naruto-ji-chan about thi- OWWW!"

Saizo held onto his – suddenly - throbbing head.

"Tou-chan! That was mean! I _so_ will tell kaa-cha that you hit me!"

"Well, can´t wait to tell her about her son´s first love experience."

"W-what?!"

And with the last words told, Sasuke stood up, walking in the direction of his long awaited bed.

"Tou-chan! You won´t tell her, right?"

"Go to bed. And sleep already, you´re far too young to give yourself headaches about something like that."

"Yessir!"

Saizo went to bed as he was told, and Sasuke continued with his way to his bedroom. He closed the door behind him.

"I guess you heard everything?"

The curled up cocoon of bed sheets chuckled.

"Hai. I did. And it was _so cute_!"

"Good, I really don´t want to talk anymore. I need sleep. Now."

Sasuke immediately changed into his pyjamas and fell face-first onto his side of the bed. He felt his wife draping the sheets gently over him, then massaging his back.

"Rough day?"

"You have no idea."

His wife chuckled at this.

"Well, now you know how Naruto and I feel."

"You think he has some leftover ten-year-long mission for me?"

A loud _´snap´_ was suddenly heard in the master bedroom. Sasuke grunted, letting out a chuckle.

"Tch, don´t worry. I wouldn´t change this opportunity to be home for anything in the world."

"Hmph. Don´t even joke about it, Sasuke-kun." Sakura´s voice was may more soft and anxious than the angry snap from just before.

Sasuke sighed and peeked at his wife with one eye. "Alright. Care to heal my headache first?"

Sakura smiled gently at him, kissing his temple. "Of course."

She started pushing green chakra in her hands.

"We´ll talk about that first-love-thing in the morning, right? Since you promised Saizo not to tell me, you are responsible to give him a few pep talks."

Sasuke sighed warily. "… Mmmmh."

Sakura chuckled at her husband´s cute sleeping antics before positioning her green growing palms over Sasuke´s temple. The cringes over and between his eyebrows disappeared slowly.

"Goodnight, anata", came his wife´s soft and loving whisper.

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 _Fin._


	3. A Man in the House

_3_

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 _A Man in the House._

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It wasn´t until after a few days and weeks since Sasuke´s return to Konoha that Sarada had to accommodate to some certain … _changes_ concerning the Uchiha household.

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 **Smell.**

 **.**

Sarada opened the bathroom door to be welcomed by a familiar smell. She couldn´t remember where she knew it from, but one thing she could remember well: She definitely _didn´t_ like it. It was a very strong smell, hitting her olfactory neuronal cells as hard as possible. After hurriedly brushing her teeth, she closed the bathroom door and inhaled the air in the hallway. Ignoring the still lingering smell in her nose, she entered the kitchen, finding her mother preparing breakfast and her father helping her. As she approached them, they greeted each other and sat down to start breakfast. Just as she reached out to grab some bread, her nose gave the alarm again. She made a grimace with her face, obviously feeling annoyed and disgusted.

"What in the world is that _smell_?!"

Sasuke and Sakura looked at her, then at each other in question before sniffling the air around them. Sakura spoke up first.

"I don´t smell anything disturbing, Sarada."

Sasuke sniffled again, then responding as well.

"Me neither."

"Are you sure you´re smelling something different?"

Sarada nodded her head confidently.

"Yeah, there is a smell here, definitely. It´s new, and it´s killing my nose!"

Sasuke started eating his breakfast again, thinking that his nose wasn´t as good as his daughter´s and wife´s anyway.

"Can you tell where that smell comes from?", Sakura asked.

Sarada folded her arms in front of her, thinking hard and starting her investigation.

"The smell was all over the bathroom. And now it´s in the kitchen, too, but not as strong."

The girl stood up and walked around the room, sniffling here and there, by the counter, in the corners, by the washing machine. When she couldn´t find anything, she approached the table again.

That´s when the smell hit her again.

"It´s coming from where you sit." She walked between her parents, bowing her head in Sakura´s direction. Her mother raised an eyebrow at her.

"It´s not from you, mama."

Sarada then bowed in Sasuke´s direction, making him stop midway from taking a bite of his sandwich.

"HA!" Sarada took a step back, holding her nose with her fingers and pointing with her other hand in Sasuke´s direction.

"It´s coming from you, papa! I´m totally sure!"

Sakura looked at her daughter in question, then coming nearer to her husband, and smelling as well. She drew back and looked at her daughter. Sasuke tried to understand what they were talking about, and concentrated more on his nose.

"Hmmm, do you possibly mean papa´s cologne, Sarada?"

" _Cologne_? What is _that_?"

Sakura chuckled at that. "You know, it´s something men put on their face after they have shaved. It´s for disinfection, and well, it has a strong smell."

Sasuke was pleased with the solution, and continued eating.

However, Sarada was not as pleased as her papa.

"Oh, don´t tell me you need to use that stuff every time you need to shave!"

Sasuke looked at her, his face as blank as ever.

"If you don´t want me growing a beard, then yes."

"Oh _no_ , darling! As handsome as you are, I don´t think a beard would look good on you!"

Sasuke grunted. Sarada was annoyed, putting her hands on her waist.

"Can´t you use a different one? One that doesn´t smell like _that_?"

Sakura spoke up, amused. "Honey, I hardly believe that there are colognes that don´t smell strong. It´s the alcohol in it. And to be honest, it is mixed to have a smell that should attract women, like perfume. It´s funny that you don´t like it, actually."

Sarada made a face again. She remembered where she knew the smell from.

"Bleh! Now I remember. Konohamaru-Sensei uses something like that, too. It smells worst in the morning, I guess when he is freshly shaved, too."

"Well, since your papa is home, you need to get used to it. It´s not like we can stop his head from growing a beard, haha."

Sasuke grunted at that, standing up to poor himself a new cup of tea.

Sarada looked at him, a little disgusted. Sasuke noticed this and turned to look at her, a little annoyed.

"What?"

"Papa, as much as I´m happy that you´re home, this smell is _terrible_. After the breakfast, we´re going straight to the market, buying you a new one that won´t set my nose on fire!"

Sasuke sat down again, grunting and shrugging his shoulders in uninterested agreement.

Sakura giggled. _I wonder what the future will bring, if she starts like that because of a little cologne._

.

.

.

 **Shower.**

.

Sarada just came home from a girls´ day with Cho-Cho. She closed the door, turned around saying "tadaima" and stiffened at the sight in front of her.

Her father looked like he came right out of the shower, with his bathrobe on and a towel in hand, drying his hair. Sakura peeked out from the kitchen to greet her along with her husband, both of them responding with "okaeri".

But Sarada didn´t hear any of it, her eyes only on her father´s form. At the adult man that he was, coming right out of the shower, with nothing but his bathrobe on. Her papa. She didn´t know why but it just felt _weird_ , and somehow she felt _embarrassed_.

Her parents frowned.

"Everything alright, Sarada?", Sakura asked. Of course, she was the first one to sense that something put her daughter off.

Sarada´s face became sour, all the while looking at Sasuke. He responded to that.

"What?"

Sarada turned around as fast as she could, putting her shoes on and opening the door all the while mumbling something about forgetting to tell Cho-Cho something and the weather being nice and going out for a walk. Her parents only understood little pieces of her talk.

"What did you say, Sarada?" Sakura came to stand closer to her daughter.

"I´M GOING OUT FOR A WALK AND WILL COME BACK LATER IN AN HOUR. And please be properly clothed until then! BYE!"

And with that proclamation Sarada ran out, shutting the door behind her.

And let her parents stand there with questioning faces.

And all of a sudden, Sakura burst out laughing. Sasuke could only watch her, not understanding what was going on.

"What?"

"Oh, Sasuke-kun! I can´t believe it!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"You can´t believe what?"

Sakura turned to her husband, still clutching her hurting belly from laughter.

"Sarada is embarrassed because this is the first time she saw a grown up man coming out of the shower in only a bathrobe!"

And the laughter went on.

Sasuke was irritated. "Really?"

"I´m pretty sure about that. Just imagine her face when you would have come out with just a towel around our waist!"

"With what you say she would have fainted by then."

Sakura just laughed out louder.

Sasuke turned around, walking to his bedroom to change into "proper clothing".

"Tch. Like mother like daughter."

"Hahahaha, exactl- wait, _what?!"_

Sakura´s laughter died down, her face getting very red.

Now it was Sasuke´s turn to let out a soft chuckle.

.

.

.

 **Order.**

.

As Sarada came out of her room, entering the main hall, she saw her mother helping her father putting his cloak on. She walked to them.

"Where are you going, papa?"

Sasuke, now with his cloak on, looked at his daughter.

"To see Naruto."

"Oh, cool! Uh, I mean, please send Hokage-sama my regards."

Sasuke let out an amused "Ah" and turned around to go when he noticed something.

He looked around, searching for something.

"What is it, darling?" Sakura asked, now looking around, too.

"I think I forgot my sword in the bedroom. Sarada?"

Her parents looked at Sarada, somewhat expectantly. Sarada herself looked perplexed at them.

"What?"

"Your papa means for you to go get his sword for him." Sakura chimed in.

Sarada´s face suddenly turned angry.

"Why me again? And don´t start asking mama to do it, you have two functional legs yourself!"

Sasuke knitted his brows together a little.

"You´re my daughter. You´re supposed to do such things."

Sarada couldn´t believe her ears. In which century did her father think they were? She put her fists on her waist and prepared for her declaration about her father being a dinosaur and feminism when her mother started to walk towards her parents´ bedroom. Sarada was almost speechless.

Almost.

"Mama! How can you do that?! You always tell me that women aren´t born to be only housewives and servants of men!"

Sakura turned towards her daughter, putting on a stern facial expression.

"Yes, I told you that. But that doesn´t mean that I will watch my husband putting off his shoes again, to get his sword from the bedroom while _I_ have my slippers on and can _help_ him because we´re _family_."

The girl fidgeted a little uncomfortably.

"B..but…"

Sakura sighed. "Sarada. It´s not like Sasuke-kun is beating the hell out of me or yelling at me to bring him his sword. Or that he wouldn´t thank me for bringing it to him and would reward me later with making me tea or massaging my shoulders-"

Sarada couldn´t believe her ears. She looked sheepishly at her father. "Papa _does_ that?"

Sasuke grunted absently and turned his head away in virtuosoly concealed embarrassment.

"-or helping me doing house chores because he _wants_ to and not just because I help him. We´re family, which means we support and help each other. Especially helping your father, because he was out in the wild for over ten years on that mission and wants to enjoy family life while he can, here, with us."

Sarada narrowed her eyes at her mother, playing with her toes on the ground.

"… He could say ´please´ still."

Sakura chuckled to herself. "Honey, I know very well that one word of many your father would _never_ use if he can help it, is _please_."

Sarada let out a ´hmph!´ and stomped towards the master bedroom. Sakura looked after her daughter, reminiscing in a déjà vu.

Sasuke grunted to get the attention back to him.

"I don´t understand her problem. She was never like that the last days."

His wife giggled, coming closer to Sasuke to adjust his cloak a last time.

"She is a teenager girl, Sasuke-kun. They often have complexes towards their parents, especially when they use demanding tones. To be honest, I was like that, too. To my mother."

"But she does as you say without too much complaint."

Sakura chuckled again, stepping back.

"It´s because I don´t talk straight to the point like you. I try to find excuses for her to do as I say."

"Hn."

"Hehe. But don´t worry. She has to get used to you, you´re her papa after all."

Sasuke was pleased with the answer, and also pleased at the sight of his daughter coming closer and carrying his much awaited sword. Sarada came to stand in front of him, eyes closed and body turned to the side, to stretch her arm in front of her father, handing him his sword. Sasuke smirked amused at that, still a little irritated.

The father poked his daughter´s forehead, mumbling a ´thank you´, which made Sarada glancing at her father from the side and blushing a little.

They loved each other either way.

.

.

.

 **Gifts.**

.

The other day, Sarada visited her aunt Ten Ten´s shop. It was the first week of the month, the time new supplies were imported. The girl fell in love with a new set of five beautiful shuriken, immediately.

Sarada never thought how frustrating it was not to have enough money to buy something.

Sure, she could ask her parents to borrow her money, but Sarada could never bring herself to do it. Her mother gave her pocket money every month, so Sarada couldn´t ask for more, now, could she? It didn´t feel right for Sarada, especially since they still had to pay off the loan for the house they weren´t even living in anymore.

There was only one more option, it seemed.

Sarada opened her wardrobe, searching for the little chest she kept her savings inside. Finding it, she put it on her desk and opened it with a big grin on her face. She started counting and …

 _It still isn´t enough! SHANNAROO!_

The girl let her head fall on her desk. She couldn´t feel more desperate. It´s not like she wished for new things every month! Maybe twice or thrice a year, when she had birthday or something, and it was never something too expensive. She made sure of that, since her mom would have to buy it.

But still…

As if on cue, someone knocked on her door. Sarada immediately knew who it was. Her mother would never knock, so it had to be her father.

Indeed, Sasuke opened the door and peeked inside.

"Dinner is ready."

Sarada let out a mix of a groan and a sigh. She lifted her head off the desk, exposing all her money screwed over it. Sasuke noticed this and stepped inside.

"What were you doing with the money on your desk?"

Sarada rolled her eyes. _Papa, as blunt as ever_.

"I was counting it."

"Why?"

"I wanted to see if I have enough money to buy something."

"Do you have enough?"

Sarada groaned again. "… No."

Sasuke took another step forward and looked at the notes and coins.

"What do you want to buy?"

Father and daughter looked at each other.

"I saw a set of shuriken at aunt Ten Ten´s shop." Sasuke noticed his daughter´s eyes shining with excitement. "They were so beautiful. They were ink black, and were almost glowing." Sarada grinned sheepishly. "Well, seems like the price was glowing as well."

"Hn." Sasuke looked Sarada deep in the eyes. "I see."

He turned around and opened the bedroom door to exit. "Come join us for dinner."

.

.

.

The next day, Sasuke came up on Sarada´s door again, telling her to come train with him at the Uchiha training grounds.

Sarada wondered what was on her papa´s mind, but knowing that he wouldn't tell her anyway, she didn´t ask and followed him.

As they reached their destination, they stopped and faced each other. Sarada saw her papa getting something out of his cloak, holding it in front of her.

"I wanted to test them today with you. Open it."

Sarada looked bewildered at her papa, then at the package in his hands. She took it, and opened it. As she saw what was inside, she couldn´t believe her eyes.

"B-but, papa! These are the shuriken I wanted from aunt Ten Ten´s shop!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow in question, amusement written on his face.

"Oh?"

Sarada looked at her papa again, feeling guilty.

"But they are too expensive. I can´t accept them, papa. Either we´re giving them back, or I´ll pay you back."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her.

"Nonsense. I bought them, so I can decide what to do with them. We´ll see if they are worth the money, and if you still want them after some training, you´ll keep them."

Sarada looked on the ground, ashamed. She wished she never told her father about them yesterday. She should have been more careful with what she said.

Suddenly, she felt Sasuke putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him from above her glasses. Sasuke kneeled down in front of her, lifting her chin up with his forefinger.

"Sarada", he began, "Don´t make that face. I´m proud of you for being so thoughtful and considerate. It shows me your mother raised you well." Sarada felt her heart warm up at that, especially because her father´s eyes seemed to soften when he mentioned her mother. "I know that you want to make things right, and that you don´t want to be a burden to us. That´s because you try to do everything yourself, right?"

Sarada´s eyes widened. Her papa was living for a month with them now, but she never thought that it would be enough for him to understand her feelings that much. His little smile told her that he knew what was going on in her mind.

"When I was little … my brother was the same as you. Always dealing with problems on his own, never leaning on others. The more he and his problems grew, the more … fatal grew the consequences." Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes. "I did the same. It was the wrong idea, definitely. I know that now, through experience." He opened his eyes. "You want to become hokage, right?"

Sarada nodded her head.

"Then you have to learn to cooperate with others. Naruto does that a lot, and I´m trying to do the same when the possibility is given. It´s what made him become hokage in the first place. That idiot tried to involve as many people as possible in his problems, especially because he was too dumb to deal with them on his own", Sarada laughed at that, seeing her father smirking, too, "and he knew that together with other people, he was _stronger_."

Sasuke stood up again.

"Besides, it´s not bad to accept a gift from your parents, especially when they give them to you without you needing to whine for it."

Sasuke poked her forehead affectionately. Sarada could feel her cheeks burn a little. She smiled again.

"I can´t remember the last time I gave you a present. Just let me fulfil my duty as a parent."

"Hai, papa." Sarada hesitated a little, then hugged Sasuke strongly. "Thank you so much!"

Sasuke patted her head, tensing a little.

"Sarada …"

The girl blushed when realization hit her. She jumped back to free her father from her monster hold.

"I-I´m sorry, papa! Are you hurt?"

Sasuke rubbed absentmindedly at a spot Sarada squeezed slightly too much.

"No, it´s alright. Let´s … Let´s just start with the training."

.

.

.

 _Fin._


	4. Pretty Pranksters Part I

_4_

 _._

 _._

 _Pretty Pranksters Part I_

 _._

 _._

 _._

Seeing all Uchihas at the dining table together was rare these days. Sarada ran the village as hokage and the boys enjoyed their late teenage years. Hence, the parents were left together, almost the same as they were before the first child was born.

Still, Sakura missed her children. She was used to the loud obnoxious boys, always arguing about something. It became so heated that Sasuke joined them, too, sometimes, not being able to stand all the testosterone radiating from them. Heck, even only with Sarada it was lively at home, when Sakura and her daughter lived alone. Now, there was only Sasuke, but he never talked too much. With his growing years – he was 53 now – Sasuke became even more grumpier than before, and was tired out more easily. His tolerance for loud noises decreased, too, so that Sakura had to be cautious about the volume of her voice and the amount of words that escaped her mouth.

It was _so_ boring.

Today was such a day, too. Her and Sasuke eating dinner together. The boys promised to come, but were late again. Sasuke´s patience faded, and Sakura had no other choice than to start preparing the table before he grew too grumpy.

Her husband started to eat about five minutes ago, but Sakura didn´t even touch her food. Sasuke noticed this long ago, and tried to stay oblivious to that, but he couldn´t ignore it anymore.

He sighed, looking at her.

"You don´t eat."

Sakura didn´t hear him, her head bent down, looking in the distance.

"Sakura."

Still no reaction. Sasuke knew what was on her mind, of course. He sighed again and stroked her head, to which Sakura reacted immediately, turning her head to him.

"Sakura. Start eating. The idiots will come sooner or later."

Now it was Sakura´s turn to sigh.

"Mouu, I know Sasuke-kun. But don´t you miss them, too? I do. Is it too much to ask them to appear on time for once?"

"Don´t hold your hopes up high. They probably do stupid annoying things now. It´s better that they aren´t here. They only would give us headaches."

Sakura knitted her eyebrows together, jumping up on her chair.

"I can´t believe you, Sasuke! They are our children, not some nuisances!"

"You threw them out yesterday, when they came home, _drunk_."

Sakura puffed her cheeks out in embarrassment.

"But still…"

"But they are your boys. And you can´t stand the fact that they will leave this house one day, leaving you only with me, the grumpy, boring old husband I´ve become."

Sakura´s eyes widened at that. _How does he know? Did he listened to one of my talks with Ino?_

"I-No!"

Sasuke chuckled at that. "Stupid. I know you better than anyone Sakura."

Sakura looked away, embarrassed.

"You don´t talk so much yourself anymore, you know. You can´t blame only me for the silence."

"Hmph! That´s only because you can´t stand loud noises anymore."

"No. It´s because you´re tired yourself now. As much as your seal helps you looking young, you can´t hide your actual age."

Sakura stiffened, feeling the urge to blow a hole in her husband´s head with her fists.

"You-! I can´t believe you just told me I´m old!"

"Sakura. We are. Accept it."

Sasuke´s wife stayed still. He sighed.

"I know it´s hard. I can´t believe it myself sometimes. But we have to deal with it. It´s how nature goes."

There was no response from his wife still. But he knew how he could make her laugh again.

"You remember the time I found my first grey hair? You said I was sulking for one week but I dismissed it."

Sakura couldn´t hold back her laugh. She pointed accusingly at her husband.

"Ha! So you _do_ admit it!"

"Tch. It´s not like I can run away from it."

Husband and wife finally smiled at each other.

"I´m sorry, Sasuke-kun. You´re right. It´s still hard to believe. I only want to spend as much time with my children as possible before they go. It´s like they are giving me energy when they´re with me."

"I know what you mean."

Both parents went through various memories inside their heads.

"But Sasuke-kun, when you finally hand your office over to someone else and I can take a break from the hospital, let´s enjoy our time together, ne?"

"Sakura. Sousuke is 15 years-old. We have at least five years to go with him."

Sakura groaned out loud. "With how it looks, he will stay at home for a much longer time."

Sousuke was the topic of conversation for a long time now between them. He didn´t have many friends. Aside from them, his brothers and Kohaku, he didn´t have much of social contacts. There were only his teammates left, but they didn´t come along since day one, especially because Sousuke was younger than them, graduating from the academy at an early age, thanks to his abilities. He spent much time with his nephew, Ko-Eiji, training him because he clearly enjoyed his role as an uncle. But all those things weren´t bad at all, because the young man might have not had many friends, but a handful he was very close with and he was happy with that.

It wasn´t that Sousuke was much of a rebellious type. He did as he was told by his parents, being a very obedient young man indeed. Of course, he had his moments, his hormones controlling his brain because of puberty.

He was very intelligent, inheriting all the right traits from his parents. He would be jonin in a few years for sure.

What worried his parents – more Sakura than Sasuke, to be honest – was the fact that Sousuke had a special issue with _women_. He _was_ an Uchiha after all. Since he was born, all people swooned over him. It was the same with the twins, but not as extreme as it was with the youngest. Sousuke was attracted to them physically, no doubt about that. But he only made fun of them, teasing them (which Sakura _loathed_ to no end, remembering a certain _Charasuke_ ). It happened only a few times, since Sousuke never showed much interest in them anyway.

To cut a long story short, Sakura was worried that her son might never end up with a partner, because he would never, _ever_ accept a woman that would swoon over him (especially because he was very stubborn like a certain other Uchiha male). And to find a woman who wouldn´t notice her son´s handsome looks had to be blind. Which would mean-

"Sakura, you´re thinking too much into it."

The woman was pulled out of her musings. She gave Sasuke a worried look, not knowing what to say. Sakura knew that Sasuke understood her anyway without saying something. A look in the eye was enough to understand each other´s thoughts and feelings when it came to them.

Sasuke spoke up.

"He´s only 15 years-old anyway. Give him some time."

"Sasuke, all of our children showed love interests _before_ they were that age. Seizo with Kohaku, Saizo with the girl from snow, and even Sarada with Boruto-"

" _What?!"_

"-Yes, darling, and it´s too late to give me a dirty look because of that. They are married and have kids now."

Sasuke still didn´t look pleased, but Sakura didn´t pay him any Attention, either.

"What I wanted to say is; this phenomenon of strong love somehow runs in the family, you know, starting with us or your ancestor- _Sasuke!_ I´m worried for the future of your son and you start _eating?!_ "

"The food is getting cold."

"You-!"

With a loud _´bang´_ the parents heard the outer door swung open and collide with the wall in the main hall. Other than that, very loud laughter could be heard as well.

"I swear if they are drunk again at this hour, I´m going to let them _kiss the mud in the training grounds_."

Sasuke sweatdropped at his wife´s behaviour.

Sasuke hurried after his wife, taking her hand, before she could enter the main hall.

"Let me deal with them today. You sit down and relax."

Sakura let herself fall on her chair with a huff. Sasuke gave her one last glance, ordering her to relax again, and hurriedly walked away after receiving a _very_ angry glare that could match one of his father´s.

As he entered the hall, Sasuke saw a glimpse of Sousuke slamming his bedroom door shut after him, and turned towards the entry door, seeing his older sons – now 19 years-old – laughing their lungs out.

The father sighed wearily, knowing that something totally annoying was awaiting him.

"What´s so funny?"

The tone of his voice was definitely not amused. But the twins couldn´t care any less, too much consumed in their delight.

"You should have seen his face!" Saizo burst out loud between laughter. "I pranked him so _hard_ that his face became _all red_!"

Sasuke sighed. Of course, Konoha´s pink prankster had to pull out something like that again. No wonder he earned himself that name after spending so much time with the Uzumakis. As the father wanted to tell them to shut the laughter down, he felt a not so pleasant chakra behind him.

 _Oh, shoot._

 _"_ _What exactly did you do to my baby?"_

 _That_ was something Sasuke definitely wanted to avoid. Sakura was most protective of their youngest and very angry after their heated conversation earlier. This was her chance to _relax_ like she wanted to. And if she referred to Sousuke as ´her baby´ in this kind of situation, Sasuke was sure all hell would break loose if he didn´t do anything fast.

But, he was 53-years-old now, and he really didn´t have the energy to deal with it anymore.

"Sakura, I think it´s time to let them kiss the mud in the training grounds. Let them deal with the damage later." Sasuke turned around to walk. "And I´ll see after Sousuke."

Sakura cracked her knuckles.

"Hai."

Saizo and Seizo looked like white marble statues by now.

Saizo didn´t dare to open his mouth knowing his fault, not like his other brother. "B-but I didn´t prank Soke! It was all Saizo´s idea!"

Sakura smirked and chuckled darkly. "I know. But I could hear your laughter from the kitchen, too." Seizo´s mouth shut.

Her smile faded immediately. "You have three minutes to go before I start moving."

She didn´t need to tell them twice.

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Fin._


	5. Pretty Pranksters Part II

_5_

 _._

 _._

 _Pretty Pranksters Part II_

 _._

 _._

.

Turns out, Sasuke couldn´t get anything out of Sousuke. To be honest, he wanted to shrug off the turmoil when Sakura left with the twins for the training grounds, but needed to ask _at least_ once for he had to explain Sakura everything later. It was unnecessary for Sasuke to have a serious talk about something as ridiculous as a prank. His son thought the same, it seemed, brushing the conversation off with a ´tch´. They started eating dinner together, as if nothing had happened. Sasuke didn´t miss the malicious glint in his son´s eyes, though.

.

.

.

The head of the Outer Police Force looked through various documents when the door to his office opened without a knock. He was about to give the intruder a glare with his sharingan he or she would never forget in this lifetime, but was surprised to see a rather annoyed Sarada and amusedly grinning Naruto enter his office and closing the door. To see them in this formation, angry _and_ happy, made him curious about what was awaiting him, but the feeling in his gut told him he didn´t want to hear anything of it.

The two intru-, _ahem_ , visitors stopped right in front of Sasuke´s office table, looking in his eyes directly.

Not to the man´s surprise, Naruto started the conversation. He was much more cheerful now that he had all time in the world after retiring from hokage business. He was still a consultant to many higher ups, but all in all enjoyed the free time he had, with Sasuke´s sons and their grandson, Ko-Eiji, to Sasuke´s dismay.

"Heh, Sasuke, you wouldn´t know what is going on in the market place right now!"

Sarada sighed at that. "You wouldn´t _want_ to, honestly."

Sasuke looked them both over. "What happened?"

"Well, it´s-"

"Naaah, Sarada! We should show him, so he can see with his own eyes. Come on, Sasuke!" _Where´s the fun in it, if we tell him right away?_

So, they (more Naruto) dragged the already grumpy man outside to the market place.

.

.

.

"You said it´s not far."

Sasuke, Sarada and Naruto walked on the main street of Konoha, following the road to their destination. As they approached it, the crowd grew visibly thicker with people.

"The market place is over there, teme, stop being so grumpy."

"I´ll make you all grumpy if what you´ll show me isn´t worth my time."

"It _is_ worth your time, dattebayo! Just follow me and watch. I can´t imagine how Sakura-chan managed to live with you for over 20 years no-"

"KYAAAAAAH!"

Sasuke´s head snapped in the direction of a group of teenage girls. One of them squealed, holding a paper in her hand, proudly showing it to her friends.

"I got one, I really got one, girls! AHHHHH, I LOVE UCHIHA-SENPAI!"

Sasuke hoped his ears misheard what the girl just said.

"… Uchiha … senpai?"

As he heard Naruto snickering and Sarada groaning, he knew he did hear right. _What the hell is going on?_

"Ahhh", Naruto said. "We´re coming closer and closer. Seems we´re almost there, dattebayo!"

But Sasuke didn´t listen to Naruto. He approached the group of girls and hovered over them, being at least one and a half head taller than them.

"Show me the paper."

The girls tensed immediately, stepping closer to each other. "Ehhhh?"

"Don´t make me repeat myself."

"H-hai, t-taichou-sama!"

The girl who held the paper in her hand reached it out to Sasuke, the others hiding behind her. They were all oggling at him. Sasuke ignored it, of course, studying the sheet in his hand.

He did everything he´s learned in his 50 years of self-control, to suppress his sharingan from activating.

Naruto was laughing uncontrollably behind him, and Sarada used every bit of inherited self-control from her father to not to punch a crater into the ground.

The Uchiha male scrunched up the paper in his hand (all the while ignoring the fear of the girls in front of him), looked at the girl who gave the paper to him and ordered her to show him where she got it from.

As he and his two companions followed the trembling girl, the crowd grew bigger. What caught his attention most was a familiar voice shouting from the middle of it.

"- _es, you heard right! Listen, all Konoha! Each of them only for 1000 ryos! Yes ladies, there´s enough for all of yo-"_

There, in the middle of the crowd, on a high platform, stood Sousuke, shouting and selling papers to his ´customers´, who were mostly teenage girls, not older than 20 years. Sasuke didn´t miss the many stacks of papers behind him, all waiting to be bought, too.

And what was on the papers Sasuke was so scandalized about, you ask?

"Hahahahaha, Sasuke!", Naruto shouted next to his friend, probably thinking he couldn´t hear him well because of the large crowd of people talking around them. "How come I didn´t come up with the idea myself when we were younger? I could have made _so_ much money with selling only _your_ baby pictures!" Sasuke flinched at that.

 _"_ _-here, missus, you can have all you want! All the cute pictures from the famous, pretty Uchiha-twins, Saizo and Seiz-!"_

" _What the_ hell _is going on here?!"_ , Sasuke said, with a much more higher voice he normally would use.

Sosuke stiffened in the act of handing a girl another picture of his brothers and turned in the direction of the voice. He saw his father and sister looking at him with the same deadly expression on their faces. Only his uncle Naruto brightened up the atmosphere a little, laughing all to himself.

"Uhhh…" _Oh, this will go well… As if one of my relatives being here wouldn´t be enough. Good that those idiot brothers are on a mission..._

Sarada stepped in, as the Hokage that she was. She jumped on the higher platform, holding Sousuke´s wrist tightly. The scrunched up face of her brother indicated that she held a little too tightly on it, maybe.

 _"_ _The selling of these … pictures is ended by Hokage, Uchiha Sarada, myself,_ right now _! The pictures will be handed back immediately, and the traded money will be given back as well!"_

Sarada pointed at one random police man, then at another. Sousuke wanted to interfere, but was shut down by a tight squeeze on his wrist.

" _You, and you will handle this until all pictures are given back and the money is exchanged completely! Understood?!"_

"Yes, maam!"

One of the police men spoke up again. "Uh … what are we going to do with the pictures after, hokage-sama?"

" _WHAT THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT TO DO WITH THEM, YOU MORON?!_ _ **BURN THEM ALL, SHANNARO!**_ _"_

After the Hokage´s ´little´ outburst everyone did as they were told, and the Uchihas´s and Naruto gathered together. The crowd grew little, leaving the family members alone. Sarada still hold Sousuke´s wrist.

"Hahahaha, good job, nephew! That was hilarious-ttebayo!", Naruto complimented the youngest Uchiha, clapping Sousuke´s back. The boy grinned. "Thanks, uncle."

"Naruto", Sasuke glared at him. "Take off."

The still blonde man insisted on staying, but after receiving a look with a clear message by a certain female Uchiha, he went to see his grandson.

Now, the Uchiha´s were left alone.

Sarada spoke up.

"Papa, if you don´t mind, I´d like to hand him over to you. I have a meeting in about 15 minutes. This took way more time than I had think it would."

Sasuke nodded, his eyes fixated on his youngest. Sarada turned to look at her brother.

"Don´t think that means I´m letting you down with it. I´m _so_ going to get back at you for this later. I swear, if you pull something like this again while I´m Hokage, _I´m going to give you D-rank missions for the rest of my tenure._ " Sousuke gulped. There was nothing needed to be told after this threat anymore. The boy let out a deep breath after his wrist was finally released, rubbing at it.

Sarada walked away, too.

Sousuke waited to be scolded by his father as well, but was surprised to see him walking away. Sasuke stopped and turned his head to look back at him.

"Follow me."

.

.

.

Father and son tried to ignore the bewildered looks the staff of the police department gave them. After they finally found shelter in Sasuke´s office, Sousuke closed the door behind him, finding his father sitting on his chair, elbows rested on his office table, chin on the back of his hands. The Uchiha boy came closer, standing in front of his father, preparing for the interrogation.

"Do I need to ask why you did that?"

"Depends on your knowledge."

"You think you´re funny?"

"No. I´m only giving straight answers to you, with the knowledge _I_ have."

"And the courage."

"Yes."

Father and son gave each other blank expressions.

"So, you´ll accept your punishment."

"Ah. But my revenge was reasonable."

"Your _revenge_. For what?"

Sousuke´s cheeks turned a little shade of red.

"For … the prank they pulled on me last time."

"You haven´t told me what happened, yet."

"Because I don´t want to."

"Why?"

"It … It´s embarrassing, ok?"

"So, you want me to trust in your judgement and let you go with it."

"I … yeah."

Sasuke sighed and leaned back on his chair, his hands on his lap.

" _I_ would let you go. But not your mother. Prepare for it."

"Ah."

"But", Sasuke´s gaze intensified, "Don´t think that revenge is the most reasonable answer to any misfortune that happens to you."

Sasuke´s eyebrows knitted together.

"It´s still too early to tell you the whole story, but … one of the reasons we´re the only remaining Uchiha´s today is _revenge_ , even if it was reasonable concerning _some_ aspects."

Sousuke´s eyed widened at that. It was the first detail he heard about the Uchiha massacre, as well as the first given by his father. He was curious about it, naturally, but didn´t push his father further. If he told him that it was too early, it was, and that was that.

Sousuke bowed his head down in remorse, apologizing.

"Still", Sasuke continued. "You can be proud of you for being honest and fearless when you have to explain for your actions. Always think about what you do, and always voice out why you do it without regret. Not like your elder brothers. Especially Saizo."

Father and son smirked at each other.

"Ah. Thanks, dad."

The comfortable atmosphere was broken by loud footsteps, coming from the corridor.

" _Where is he?!"_

Sasuke and Sousuke gulped, their smirks cracked into thin lines of lips.

"May I … alter my reasons for my actions for mom?"

"Only this once. Maybe … maybe you shouldn´t say anything at all."

"… Ah, maybe …"

And the door flew open.

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Fin._


	6. Close Comfort

_6_

 _._

 _._

 _Close Comfort_

 _._

 _._

 _._

It was one of these rare days that Sasuke came home from a long relaxing evening walk in the outskirts of Konoha. Although he dearly enjoyed the time he shared with his family, he couldn´t hide the fact that he was still kind of an avenger, so that a little piece of him sometimes missed the forest, the trees and some old stones in it, the calm and silence of it which was hidden in the shadows between bushes and leaves. Sometimes he would cross pedestrians, like squirrels or a family of rabbits. It was a calming sight so see, and Sasuke preferred just this calm side of nature these days. He was on his well-deserved holiday, after all.

On the other hand, he preferred his home to be less calm. The two women in his life he liked always best when they were talking too much, with happy faces and happier smiles. They were the colours in his life, a beautiful counterpoint to the grey ´calm´ he brought home, as they would always say. It reminded him of his mother, who had given a certain warmth to his old home, with all her shining colourful brightness. Sakura and Sarada, though, had their own kind, it was different than Mikoto´s, but he liked it all the same, maybe even more. After all, they were _his_ in a way, and it made him proud.

Which made him wonder what happened to his current home, that wasn´t as _homely_ as he wanted it to thanks to a silent and depressed atmosphere. Knitting his brows together, he contemplated what happened the last days and this morning and noon. No bad memory came to mind, nothing interesting happened, actually. The other day Sarada´s team came over together with their Sensei. They all had dinner together. It was very peaceful, being the only special occasion the last days.

Still not satisfied, Sasuke pulled off his cloak and shoes and announced that he was home. Only a few moments later, Sarada welcomed him by the doorway. _Only_ Sarada.

"Where is your mother?"

Sarada´s eyes widened as Sasuke mentioned Sakura, her shoulders being a little tense. "She said she didn´t feel well after coming home from the hospital and went straight to bed." Sasuke´s eyes narrowed. "We didn´t even have the chance to eat dinner together."

"She didn´t feel well?"

Sarada shrugged her shoulders. "I don´t know why. I asked her but she dismissed it."

"Hmm." The concerned husband looked at the ground, thinking about what could have happened at the hospital. Maybe she was just tired? Maybe someone died? Maybe someone had cancer?

"Did that happen before?"

Sarada thought a little before answering. "Actually, yes. After she recovers from her … _exhaustion_ , as she calls it, she only tells me that things aren´t going so well at the hospital and no to worry too much. But she never goes into details."

"Ah." That´s something Sakura would do. Only give as much information as is needed, but never go into detail not to make people around her uncomfortable with worry. She would do the same with her husband at first, but he had his methods to make her talk nevertheless.

He turned his attention back to Sarada again. "Have you eaten yet?"

Sarada´s head snapped up. Seems she was in her own thoughts as well. "Huh? Oh, I – no."

Sasuke nodded towards the kitchen. "Go and start preparing the table then. I´ll come soon after." Sasuke started walking towards the master bedroom. "Don´t forget to heat up the meal first", he added as he passed his daughter. He hated cold meals, and if he was home, he was going to eat a _warm_ one.

"Hai." With that, Sarada went to the kitchen, with a grin on her face, since she knew what her papa was going to do. He _could_ have gone to the kitchen first, of course, but he _didn´t_.

.

.

Sasuke stood directly next to a cocoon of bed sheets, which had a pink furl on the top. The window covers of the master bedroom were closed, darkening the room. The overall atmosphere was as depressed as when he was haunted by nightmares at night. It wasn´t much to Sasuke´s liking.

The man grabbed the opening piece of the bedsheet-cocoon and tried to free his wife from it. No chance. To his further annoyance Sakura rolled herself a little more, to be captured deeper in it. Sasuke sighed and started to play affectionately with the pink locks, the only visible sign of his wife. He sat down on the bed, next to the cocoon. He looked around while talking, to see if Sakura did anything else here before sleeping, hand still on top of her head.

 _Not even changed her clothes, it seems._

"Sakura", he started. "Whatever it is that brought you into a state like this, you are going to tell me sooner or later." Silence. No response. "Sarada is waiting in the kitchen for us. For dinner." Same. An annoyed sigh. "Right. I´ll go then." Sasuke stood up and looked back at the cocoon. "Call me if you need anything." And with that he left the room, worry never leaving his mind and body.

.

.

.

Dinner was finished hours ago, so the time when Sasuke entered the master bedroom to check on his wife. Sarada already bid her father goodnight and left for bed, leaving him in the living room, alone.

Sasuke read a ninja-scroll about taijutsu techniques Lee recommended him, when he heard footsteps coming from the main hall – no, someone entered the kitchen.

Leaving the scroll on his favourite couch, Sasuke calmly made his way to the kitchen. Before entering he observed his wife first, who sat on a chair by the table, her body bowed forward, elbows rested on the table, face in her hands, fingers entangled in her hair. There was a filled cup of water beside her. She had changed into one of Sasuke´s T-shirts and her pyjama pants.

The husband slowly sat next to her, keeping a comfortable distance between them. He knew if upset, people tended to be left alone sometimes (like _him_ ). But Sakura was alone for hours now, and he was done with it.

It hurt him when he knew that his wife was hurt, and it was _so damn annoying_.

"Sakura", he addressed her. As there was no response, he called her again. She only shook her head.

Sasuke´s hand slowly and gently tried to get between Sakura´s which shielded her face. He managed to put them on the table, since there was no real resistance, opening a full view of her face. He tried not to knit his brows as he saw her teary cheeks and reddened eyes, her pale face and glassy jade eyes that screamed for needed comfort.

The back of Sasuke´s hand gently stroked the right side of Sakura´s face, then the left side before his hand cupped her left cheek, its thumb running soft circles over it. Sakura´s head slowly tilted to the left side, enjoying her husband´s hold, whose head turned at the same time and pace in the same direction as hers, as if not to miss any of her movements, not to miss any glance of her eyes into his. She was his snake charmer, her eyes only one of her tools to make him, her snake, do as she demanded.

They stayed in that position for a few moments, enjoying the presence of each other, before Sasuke started to speak again.

"Why are you like this, today?"

Sakura took a deep breath before sighing through her nose. She shook her head.

Sasuke´s eyebrows drew together, not in annoyance, only in sadness and worry.

He leaned his head forward to touch her forehead with his, his hand traveling to her neck and resting there.

" _Sakura,_ please _talk to me. I_ can´t stand _seeing you like this_."

The softness of her husband´s voice made her lips tremble. It was almost not even a whisper that left his mouth, only a little murmuring, but it had all the right effects on her, shattering the walls around her heart that she built up herself.

" _Sa-sasuke-kun…"_ Tears awoke from their slumber in her eyes, ready to release the sorrow built up in her heart.

 _"_ _I´m here. For_ you. _"_

As if those words were the trigger she waited for, Sakura clutched at her husband´s clothes under his arms and buried her face into the crook of his neck. She breathed in hard to gather all air she could in her lungs to prepare herself for heavy sobs that would fill the kitchen as the only sounds that could be heard that night.

Sasuke sneaked his right arm around her shoulders, holding her tightly in place to emphasize the words he had told her a few seconds ago.

 _I´m here. For_ you _._

 _Always._

.

.

.

 _Fin._


	7. Face, Hair and Eyes

_7_

 _._

 _._

 _Face, Hair and Eyes_

 _._

 _For Theo1987_

 _._

 _._

 _._

"Why do I have brown hair?"

Sakura stopped midway in cutting some tomatoes to look down to her right. Standing there, holding onto the end of her apron, was five-years-old Sousuke.

"Uhmm…" It was a question as interesting to Sakura as to dwell on it a little longer. She put her knife on the kitchen counter and wiped the remnants of the juicy tomato on her hands away. She kneeled down on eye-level with her son, brushing her long pink hair to her back in the process. They were only actions to buy her some time to remember what Sasuke said to her once right after Sousuke´s birth.

 _"…_ _He has my father´s hair."_

It was a comment on the boy´s hair-color, as his hair wasn´t as smooth as Sakura´s and not as spikey as Sasuke´s. It was a middle thing Sakura was grateful for. Saizo had big issues with his hair, since he wasn´t a calm child. He was always running around, jumping and screaming. Thanks to his behaviour, his hair was always a mess to tend to, especially when it came to combing it. Sasuke had his tactics to find his way through the labyrinth of it, as he had most experience with it, but his pink son wasn´t as patient as him. It lead to irritation on Sasuke´s side until he couldn't hold his own temper anymore and dragged the boy to the next barber he found to get the pink hair as short as Saizo let him. The boy was a stubborn pouting mess when they came back, but began to like his hair short when he noticed how easy they were to handle after that. Since then, people started to compare him to little Naruto as he was as much as a troublemaker as his beloved uncle as well as looked like him, now, thanks to the short spikey hair. Konoha´s "Pink Prankster" was born, much to not only Sasuke´s dismay. Saizo tried to do justice to his new nickname ever since, the mockery in his blazing green eyes evident since then.

"Why do you ask, honey?"

"Because you have pink hair and papa has black hair and nee-chan has black hair and nii-san have pink and black hair and I am the only one who has _brown_ hair. Why?", Sousuke ramble-asked his mother.

Sakura had hoped her son wouldn´t ask that question. At least not _her_. What Sousuke did was normal for his age as he slowly understood that children took after their parents. It was just a matter of time until he confronted his parents about it. Sakura just had hoped that it would be Sasuke who would respond to that since the brown hair came from his side of family. From his father, Uchiha Fugaku, to be precise. Sakura knew that, since Sasuke showed her his family once with a genjutsu. Not even Naruto knew about that. Sasuke was very private and discrete concerning his old memories. That´s why Sakura treasured those memories as if them being her own little secret. She owed her husband that.

Which made her debate internally if she should tell Sousuke any of it. It´s not like it wasn´t his history. Sakura knew that this confirmation would trigger more questions from the little boy. She didn´t want to make Sasuke uncomfortable with that. His past was a touchy subject, very sensitive.

"I guess that one of papa´s or my relatives had brown hair, Soke."

"But who?"

Sousuke was already the spitting image of Sasuke (even more thanks to the dull dark green eyes), but when he pouted just like him ( _something he would never admit, because ´Uchihas don´t pout, Sakura´)_ and frowned like his father, the woman just couldn´t help herself hugging her little boy.

" _Kawaiiiiii!"_

" _M-mama! It hurts! And I´m_ not _cute!"_

And the question was forgotten.

.

.

.

Later that day, the family was sitting in the living room together. Sasuke and Sakura relaxed on a couch (more Sasuke, honestly) and had a conversation about how things were going in the Outer Police Force. The institution was officially announced four years ago, about ten years after Sasuke started training the first shinobi-units of the Force. The units were travelling alone in the many dimensions, now that they had the technical equipment for it. It took the scientists seven years to complete a technological device to copy the rinnegan´s ability to pass space-time. Sasuke was still checking on them sometimes, but he was overall satisfied with the shinobi´s accomplishments.

The boys sat on the floor with toys all around them. The twins proudly told their little brother which new jutsus they learned in the academy. It was strictly forbidden to train anything at home _and_ in the backyard after some accidents concerning mudded bedsheets and burning furniture.

Saizo was babbling wildly while Seizo nodded with his head and added some information here and there. He was the calmest child of them all, always thinking before doing something. But his calm atmosphere covered his emotional side. Indeed, he was the one who shouldered intense feelings. He was a "deep-water"-kind of boy. His black hair, black eyes and pale skin mixed with his character gave off a mysterious aura. It intensified when he actually did lose weight after he entered academy (to which the parents were grateful, because Seizo was really fat before that, thanks to his love for sweets). It scared Sasuke sometimes, knowing exactly from which person of his family he remembered that attitude. That´s why he was relieved to have twins. They took good care of each other, something Sasuke was very proud of. When Seizo was too lost in his thoughts Saizo pulled him out immediately with his radiating positive energy. When Saizo was too reckless, Seizo reminded him to calm down. Sometimes, Sasuke wondered, if Naruto and him had grown up together like brothers, would they have watched out for each other like them as well?

"Oh, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn?"

"You know, Soke asked me something today…", Sakura started, barely whispering.

"What is it?"

"It was about-"

"Papa!"

Husband and wife looked immediately down to the source of the voice. It was Sousuke, clutching on his father´s knees and looking him straight in the eye, as if preparing for a match. Sakura could see the barest softness of her husband´s face. Even he couldn´t stand the cuteness of their littlest one, Sakura thought. She was smug about that, since Sasuke made fun of her all the time calling her his fangirl (in private, of course). _Ha_ , she thought. _Surrendering to your own genes. How is that?_ It was the same with all their children, especially Sarada, her papa´s baby girl. Not that he would ever admit that.

Sousuke didn´t wait for his father to answer.

"Why do I have brown hair?" The boy clutched even tighter on Sasuke´s knees. He was the only one of their children who wasn´t bashful or sensitive to any bodily contact. "Mama said someone of our relatives had to have brown hair because I have, too. Did yours have?"

Saizo and Seizo paid attention to the conversation as well, standing right behind their brother and looking at their father expectantly. It was a topic they were interested in and asked their father about as well, but they were always answered with a ´maybe next time´.

"That´s what I wanted to ask you, too, darling. Do you have any brown-haired relatives?" Sakura looked softly at her husband, her eyes a little sad, but with a little shy smile on her face. _Do you want to talk about it?_

Sasuke blinked and eyed his son´s hair. "Ah", he said. "My father had."

The three boys´ eyes widened. Even Seizo looked astonished. This was the first time their father talked about his family.

Sakura was excited as well. She knew already, of course, but she liked to observe how her husband changed in character since they started to have a family. He was on ease, ready to open up more to the world. He said so himself, once, when they sat in the backyard alone one night while the children were asleep.

The boys started to settle themselves around their father. They knew they caught his good mood for their benefit. Sousuke immediately climbed onto his father´s lap, Seizo sat down left to him and Saizo squashed himself in between the married couple, right to Sasuke. Sakura watched the scene, amused. She crossed her arms and legs and leaned onto the couch, giving Sasuke a knowing look which said _´it´s papa-time. Your turn, Sasuke-kun´._ Said person nodded to his empty tea cup on the table, looking back at her, a playful shine in his eyes. "Bring me tea, wife." Sakura snorted amused unladylike at that, but obeyed nevertheless. _Want to play family, huh._

When Sakura came back with a full tea-cup, Sasuke was already talking.

"-is name was Fugaku and my mother´s Mikoto. My brother was Itachi-"

"You had a brother?", Saizo spoke up.

"Ah." Sakura handed Sasuke his tea, smiling softly at him. "Here." – "Thanks." The woman took a seat next to Saizo again, since Seizo liked to have some space for himself.

"Does he look like you?", Sousuke asked, munching on a biscuit he snatched from under the table before.

"He looked like me a little, I guess." Sasuke thought hard. It wasn´t easy to compare himself with one of his relatives.

"They look alike", Sakura chimed in. "Itachi had black hair and eyes like your papa, too. But his was more down, like Seizo´s. You resemble him actually, Seizo, he was as calm and thoughtful as you." Seizo´s eyes shined at this, he nodded with as little smile on his face.

Sasuke looked thankful at his wife, nostalgia evident in them.

"Do I look like grandpa Fugaku?", Sousuke asked, pointing at his face.

Sasuke eyed his son more. "You have his hair-color, that is for sure. But neither of you look much like him. My brother and I were always told that our faces looked more like mother´s."

Sakura giggled. "Actually", she chimed in. "You know, grandpa Fugaku was a very grumpy man. And when either of you get grumpy you look a lot like him. Especially your papa." The boys snickered at this. Sasuke smirked at that, nearly rolling his eyes.

Saizo turned around to look at his mother. "Did you ever meet them, mama?"

Sakura and Sasuke shared a knowing, deep look. "Your papa showed them to me, once."

"Can we meet them, too, papa?", Sousuke asked.

It was a question the parents feared. They didn´t want to disappoint their children with the truth, especially a truth so startling as death. The couple knew it would bring them sadness, but they had to tell them sooner or later. The twins knew already, but before they could say anything, Sasuke spoke up.

"They are not here anymore, Sousuke."

"Why?"

"Because they are dead, dummy", Saizo told his brother. Seizo gave his twin a chiding look, to which Saizo shrugged.

"Saizo!" The parents said simultaneously, voices rising. Said boy immediately ducked his head down, in fear.

"… Dead?" Sousuke looked thoughtful onto his lap. It was something a five-year-old could barely understand.

Sasuke nearly sighed, obviously thinking about something to soothe his son. He was relieved when Sakura softly wiped the crumbs on their youngest´s cheeks away, making him look at her. When Sakura did exactly that, looking at her sons with that tender expression, one he remembered well of his own mother´s, Sasuke´s heart swelled just like that, as if reminding him that he married just the right woman.

"Yes, honey", Sakura spoke softly. And carefully. "They are dead. That means they don´t live anymore."

"Why?"

Not only Sousuke seemed to be effected by this, but the twins as well. Even Saizo showed remorse.

Sakura settled Saizo on her lap, hugging him with her left arm. She sneaked her right hand forward to hold onto Seizo´s, who understood and hugged Sousuke from behind. Sasuke, who remained in the middle of it all, tried to ignore the awkwardness of the situation. He might have lived with his family for years now, but he was still uncomfortable with too emotional situations like these. It was Sakura who needed to guide him through those. Like now, when she pointed with her eyes at the man´s arms. He understood immediately, and slowly pulled his family in a hug towards himself with an increasing heartbeat only Sakura could sense. She really wanted to roll her eyes at that, but remained oblivious about it. _Uchihas and their struggle with their emotions and pride, really._

"Soke", Sakura started, choosing her son´s nickname wisely. "Sometimes … it´s time for people to fall into a deep sleep, when they have to leave this world. The older people become, the sleepier their bodies get. And when they are too sleepy, they close their eyes and go to a beautiful dream world to wake up there."

"Do I do that, too, when I sleep?" Sousuke seemed to understand, which made him a little anxious about his own sleep. Even the twins, who knew what their mother said was half-true, looked at her, eager for an explanation.

Sakura smiled sweetly at her littlest son. "No, honey. Your sleep is entirely different from the other one. That kind of sleep comes when you are really old, even older than my parents. Sometimes you visit dreamlands, but you´ll always wake up here, since you are too young to go there."

Sousuke´s eyes shined brightly in understanding. "You too?"

Sakura tried to stifle her laugh at that. She needed to stay serious with children, otherwise they knew you were only playing with them. Sasuke kept a glimmer of amusement in his eyes as well. "Yes, I dream about things, too, when I sleep."

Sousuke let that information sink in, then nodded confidently. "Okay."

It was the first time Seizo spoke up in their conversation. His hand went through Sousuke´s hair when he talked. "And if you dream too much, your nii-san will come and wake you up. Like today, remember?"

Sakura and Sasuke watched with a mixture of astonishment and pride into the young boy´s wise eyes. They knew the twins were taking responsibility from there.

Saizo caught onto his twin´s idea to soothe their brother. "Of course! We wake you up every morning, don´t worry! And after we´ll wake up tomorrow, we´ll jump and bounce on papa to wake him up, too!" Saizo did as he said, taking Sousuke´s hands in his to move his arms up and down. The little boy giggled and bounced on his father´s sigh. "Oi, who said I won´t do that with you before you wake up?" Sasuke looked angrier at them than necessary in a playful way, and the boys laughed even more. The first time Sasuke tried to be ´playful´ with children, it was awkward to Sakura, but with time, she understood that the seriousness of his crumbled into pieces the more time he spent with his family. It was all thanks to the love and peace he was finally able to enjoy in Konoha after his long mission (and his complicated past, of course). Seizo then jumped off the couch to hold onto his brothers´ hands and dragged them outside to the backyard, shouting that he wanted to play chasey.

The parents watched them play for a few more moments before Sakura spoke up. "Do you think the explanation was appropriate for a five-year-old?"

"It was better than the one I thought of."

"Which was?"

"… Maybe next time."

Sakura laughed out loud, and Sasuke´s ears turned a little red in embarrassment.

"Sasuke-kun", Sakura started playfully. She rested her head under Sasuke´s right shoulder, a little above his chest, her fingers occupied with pulling a few loose strings from his jacket. Her husband´s hand rested lightly on her waist. "I might think your brother invented that gesture only to prevent awkward situations he couldn´t deal with."

Sasuke snorted, resting his head on hers. "Me too."

"But I think with time, the meaning of it grew deeper, ne?"

"Hn."

Both parents relished in that moment, closing their eyes and enjoying each other´s presence, sharing the same thoughts through connected hearts.

 _When I fall into that dreamland one day, I´m going to thank him for that._

.

.

.

 _Fin._


	8. Dating Nights and Camping Sites

_8_

 _._

 _._

 _Dating Nights and Camping Sites_

 _._

 _._

 _For Katelyn_

 _._

 _._

 _._

"Are you sure you´re ok with it?"

"Yup."

"I mean, this is your first time watching over them, all at once, and you know, anything could happen and-"

"Dont worry, mama."

"But-"

"Sakura!"

Mother and daughter turned their heads towards the open door in the master bedroom, from where the impatient but familiar voice came from.

"See?", Sarada said with a suggestively raised eyebrow from the side. "Someones impatient, so you should go already instead of worrying about something as ridiculous as letting your nineteen years-old jonin daughter alone with three children. Who are her brothers, just so you know."

It was a late Saturday evening. Sasuke and Sarada had a day-off for once since what felt like months. More Sarada, really, since her schedule went crazy after she was announced jonin two years ago. Sakura didnt work yet, because Sousuke was still too little. Sarada barely had time to be home these days, and when she was in Konoha, she spent time with Boruto, who was her boyfriend for two months now. Much to Sasuke´s irritation. It wasn´t like he was disturbed by Boruto. He was his own student, what made him know everything about him. It was more to his benefit that Sarada chose the boy. It was just his ´fatherly boyfriend complex coming with having an overprotective instinct for his only baby-girl´, like Sakura put it. But he wouldn´t admit that, of course.

Anyways.

So Sarada stated one evening that her parents did way too little together as a couple (she had her experience now) and suggested they spend an evening together, without the children. Sarada even volunteered to watch over them (with Boruto at first, but after Sasuke gave her the stink eye, she crossed him out of the topic), so she had a share of it herself, with having some sibling-bonding time. It was a big mess of a stubborn-Uchihas-argument but Sarada won after some time. She knew her mother, after all, and lead her to the girlish dreamworld of romantic dinners with the love of her life. Sasuke was hard to convince, of course, but when Sakura gave him _that_ look, the argument was over. It was Saradas tactic, she established with the years. If one parent was against what she wanted, she would drag the other along for backup. It was as easy as that.

Sarada got out of the bedroom, approaching her father who stood in the entrance spot, clad in a tuxedo. It was strange for her to see Sasuke like this. Always wearing convenient and wide clothes, he often complained how uncomfortable it is to wear a suit as a ninja. It was occasions like these that were an exception.

"Where´s she?", Sasuke asked, the annoyance in his voice clearly sensible. No wonder, considering he waited in his spot for almost fifteen minutes now.

Sarada nodded back to the bedroom, nonchalantly. "Hiding from her date like a giddy and anxious teenage girl." Since Sasuke was home, Saradas sarcasm-skill levelled up extraordinarily.

Sasuke sighed. Of course. As much as Sakura was a grown woman now, who was married for almost twenty years, she would freak out when it came to him. Still.

"Sakura", he said, a little louder than usual. "If you dont get out of there right now, you can serve me dinner _at home_ tonight."

"C-coming, Sasuke-kun! I just – need to grab my purse!"

Seconds passed, but there was no Sakura visible whatsoever. Sarada went to grab a whining little one-year old Sousuke by then. Saizo and Seizo played with their toys in the living room, occupying themselves with their five years-old minds.

" _Sakura_ ", Sasuke said in just _that tone_. " _One, two, thr-_ "

Sarada rolled her eyes at that. Her parents were the worst dorks, really. She found herself in the doorway of the living room with a wiggling Sousuke in her arms, staring out into the hallway.

"Im right here!" Finally, Sakura stepped into the hallway, with all her glorious beauty. Sasuke adjusted his shoes by then – the uncomfortable ones – and started to nag about how annoying she was when he suddenly turned his head in her direction and froze right on the spot at her sight. Sakura looked to the ground, not able to look him in the eyes.

She wore a beautiful long red dress that didn´t cover her shoulders. Her hair fell over them in long and very lightly curled locks. She didn´t put on much make-up, but enough to highlight her jade jewels of eyes. The last thing Sasuke let his eyes gaze over were her sin-red lips before he looked upper and their eyes met. A frustrating tension emerged between them.

Sarada tried her best to stifle her knowing chuckle and grin. She knew when her father was put off by something. Sousuke´s loud "Mama!" pulled the couple out of their haze. The twins heard it, too, running into the hallway. They stood in the doorframe, together with their siblings.

"Wow, mama, you´re pretty!", Saizo said. Seizo only smiled sweetly.

The pinkette scratched her head a little. "Thank you, honey."

Sasuke grunted to pull attention to him. "Let´s go."

Sakura only blushed a little more than she already did, but it faded soon. She turned around to tell Sarada a few more things about taking care of the boys, but with another warning "Sakura" from Sasuke, she hurried after him.

"Take care", Sasuke said while Sakura put her heels on. "If I see anything Boruto-related in here after we come back-"

"I know, I know. Geez, papa, shannarou! We already had that talk before!"

.

.

.

"Ano, Sasuke-kun, if this is too much I can go home and change into something better, you know, something less attracting-"

"Its alright."

"-because I remember that time when you came home and were so annoyed of that belly top I wore-"

"Sakura."

"-and I really dont want to-"

"You look fine to me. Dont worry."

And that was all Sasuke had to say to make her rambling stop. Sakura blushed a little, smiling sweetly and looking to the ground. They walked side by side in the late evening dark.

"Thank you, darling. It means a lot." To Sakura, fine was enough for Sasuke to say that he appreciated her appearance.

Sasuke glanced at her from the side. "No. Thank _you_."

It was then that Sakura finally gained the courage to look him in the eyes. She raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

It was then that Sasuke finally gained the courage in the safety of the evening dark. "For this", he said, stroking one of her delicately locks that lay lightly on her shoulder. _For being beautiful._

Sakura smiled dreamily at him, even after he took his hand back and looked forward.

 _Thank you_ , she thought. _For being my man_.

It was this she loved so much about her husband. He didn´t show his love and appreciation too often, but when he did, it was always the right time and place and held so much strong emotion within it that she could melt right here on spot.

"Sarada was right", Sasuke said. "You really behave like a giddy teenage girl." He was clearly referring to Sakura´s stare.

Sakura would pout at him, get stubborn and embarrassed. At least that´s what Sasuke thought. He wanted to smirk, but did not when Sakura was still looking at him with that loving gaze. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his wife.

"Then let me be giddy for you, you big bad-boyish jerk."

Sasuke grunted in amusement, and finally, smirked.

Sakura sneaked her arm around his, and with his hands in his pockets and her head on his shoulder, did they stroll slowly, in the safety of the dark.

.

.

.

"Weeeeell", Sarada announced her presence in the living room after tidying up the house. "Who´s up for a little playing ninja tonight?"

The boys cheered as loud as they could, running towards Sarada and clinging on her wide comfy pants. Sousuke didn´t really knew what that meant, but didn´t care as long as it was a chance to mimic his older brothers.

"Alright!" Sarada cheered herself, crouching down to look better at the boys. She patted one after another on the head as she gave them their different tasks. "First, all of you change into your pyjamas. Then Seizo opens the door to the backyard and chooses a perfect place for camping. Saizo, I´ll give you some things to carry outside and Sousuke, you help me getting some proviant from the kitchen. Understood?" All nodded, Sousuke a little delayed.

"Spread out!"

Everyone did as they were told, and the playing began.

.

.

The children changed into their night clothes, but brought some ninja toys with them. There were headbands, shuriken and katanas. The ninja game they played eclosed as a legend fight of the older generation.

"Kaguyaaaa, Sasuke and I will beat you and save everyone! DATABAYOOO!"

Naruto, more Saizo, ran forward towards Kaguya, or Sarada, with Sasuke, as in Seizo, behind him.

"RASANGAAAAN!"

"Its ra- _sen_ -gan, Naruto!"

"Thats my attack, Sasuke! And its cooler than your stupid chidri!"

"Its chi- _do_ -ri, you idiot!"

Sarada could only laugh at them. They didn´t need to pretend to be Naruto and Sasuke, they already somehow were.

Only Sakura seemed to not to really understand the game.

"Sousuke", Sarada said. "Come here, play with us!" Said boy didn´t want to turn away from the interesting thing he observed in the bushes.

"Let him be", Saizo chimed in. "Papa always says that mama wasn´t really fighting anyway."

"That´s not true", Seizo argued. "Papa said mama´s help was very important in the war! Especially in the end, when she punched that Kaguya!"

The banter of the twins continued, making them forget about their surroundings.

Sarada was by Sousuke´s side by the time he tried to crawl deeper into them. "Sousuke! No! Stay outside!"

Of course, the worried sister was faster than her little brother. Sarada picked Sousuke up by his waist, making him whine loudly, holding him over her head. "What are you looking for?"

"Dog!", Sousuke declared proudly. Sarada knelt down to see for herself, then chuckled a little. "Its a hedgehog, Soke. Not a dog." Said animal rolled into a needle-ball at the sight of the tall humans.

"Nee-chaaaan!" Saizo and Seizo shouted, while running towards their sister. Sousuke was still in her arms, playing with her necklace he found a second ago. It was an old birthday gift by Kakashi. "Why did you go? You wanted to play ninja with us!"

"Right, right", Sarada sighed. She looked at Sousuke, who was still fiddling with the necklace. She grinned. "Alright, but this time, Sousuke and me will be Kaguya!" She put the boy on her shoulders, and started jumping away from the twins. They ran after their siblings. Sousuke was giggling like crazy already, and it made all of them laugh as well. Not long after, they fooled around, giggling and laughing and dancing. Sarada loved these moments. It was easy for her to forget about everything else, because the boys made her turn into a child herself.

The evening couldn´t get any better.

.

.

.

"Sasuke!"

"What?"

They were sitting in a restaurant, waiting for their orders to arrive. The second they sat down, Sakura was fidgeting on her chair, biting on her lower lip and trying to engage in conversation, but with her weird answers that were totally of different topics, and her surprised "Oh, what did you just say, Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke immediately knew that her mind was at an entirely different place. Her worries bubbled up inside, and their time came to storm out.

"Did you feel that, too?"

"Feel what?"

"I … I dont know, like … a pang through your chest and … _oh god_ , we _need_ to get back home!"

Sasuke held onto her wrist and pressed it onto the table, not allowing Sakura to stand up. "Dont be ridiculous."

"But they´re all alone for the first time and-"

"Sarada is by their side."

"But it´s Saradas first time, too!"

"Sakura, she´s _nineteen_."

"But they need me!"

Sasuke groaned. There were already people looking in their direction, obviously either annoyed or amused by the scene.

"Could you be a little louder for all the people in here to hear us?", Sasuke hissed. Sakura immediately blushed and gave him the youre-a-jerk-pout. Her fingers pounded a certain rhythm on the table. "The boys have an adult by their side. Their older sister. Itachi took care of me when he was almost at the twins´ age."

"But you were only one. They are three!"

"And Sarada is almost twenty. So stop whining. Even Boruto could do the job."

"Oh? So, you suggest he´s there, too?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Sakura.

"Don´t play that card on me. I trust my daughter. More than you, it seems."

"Mouuu", Sakura whined. It was then that their meals arrived, with an overpolite request to please lower their voices. After a glare of Sasuke, the plea was forgotten.

Sasuke started eating, but Sakura didn´t. She was still looking into nothing. Sasuke sighed.

"Go call them with your phone." Sakura cheered up. "But only this time." The woman took her purse and made her way to the restrooms. She didn´t bother to give Sasuke a glance at least.

He couldnt believe he felt a little pang of jealousy towards his sons. They were their mothers apples of her eyes, it seemed.

Before Sasukes mood could go more down, he took a bite of his food.

.

.

.

They were trying to inflame a campfire, when Sarada´s phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and sweatdropped annoyed at the name of the caller. She trudged away from the boys, so they couldn´t hear who was on the other side of the line. It would make them whine endlessly, especially Sousuke, who would want his mother to come.

"What is it?", she asked, her voice clearly not nice.

"How are the boys?", Sakura´s voice came out, obviously worried.

"They´re fine."

"What are they doing?"

"Playing."

"What are they playing?"

"Theyre playing ´we haven´t noticed that mama isn´t home yet, because big sis is awesome in having fun with us and therefore we don´t need mama anymore who should enjoy her once in a year chance to have a nice romantic night with papa.´" Sarada knew that Sakura had her own mama complex as well with the Boys, just as Sasuke had with her. And, Sarada knew very well how to hit exactly that weak spot.

There was a _long_ pause on the line. Although Sarada was way too proud to talk first, she wanted to end this conversation as soon as possible. "Are you still there?"

The caller on the other side hung up without saying something. Sarada´s mouth made a thin line. She knew she won this battle on the phone, but there was hell to let loose the second her mother found a chance to talk to her alone. Since Sasuke had come home for good, a kind of aggressive willingsness for rivalry grew on the members of the former team seven.

"Whatever", Sarada said, then turned around to go back to the boys.

She saw them sitting on the ground, sulking. At least, the twins. Sousuke looked curious between the two of them, not understanding why his brothers didn´t giggled and laughed like they always did. "Niiii", he whined. Seizo opened his arms, and Sousuke crawled onto his lap. Seizo always had an especially soft spot for the little boy.

"Why are you making such faces?", came Sarada´s question. She settled down behind Saizo, hugging him from behind and looking down at him. He looked up at his sister.

"We can´t make the campfire burn."

Sarada ruffled his hair. "Oh, you will, believe me. Uchiha´s are _the_ masters of fire!"

Sarada stood up and gestured for the boys to take a few steps back. Seizo held onto Sousuke, so he couldn´t escape.

Sarada made the needed handsigns and blew a little ball of fire towards the campfire-spot.

"Woaaah! It's the cartoon-justu!"

" _Katon_ , Saizo!", Seizo corrected Saizo.

"Katon!", cheered Sousuke.

"Pff, whatever."

Sarada could only laugh.

.

.

.

Sakura walked towards their shared table, when Sasuke noticed that her posture changed very much. When she went to the restroom, she tipsily took cautious steps not to fall to the ground, with her shoulders raised in anticipation to finally press the call button on her phone. Now, she walked with her chest – that grew slightly bigger after three pregnancies – pushed forward and her shoulders held back, perfectly clicking her heals in rhythm. She walked like an overly proud queen.

Sakura sat down. She only smiled sweetly at her husband. _Too sweetly._

Sasuke was utmost irritated. Just few minutes before, Sakura was worried out of her mind for her children. Now she was as chilled as Shikamaru on his laziest days.

"So, how are the boys?"

"Oh, they´re fine", Sakura said nonchalantly, taking a fork in hand.

"And Sarada?"

The fork in Sakura´s hand cracked into two pieces. " _Fine_." Sakura hissed the word through her sweet smile.

Sasuke didn´t know what to say. He already made the experience of getting in between the dominance fight of his two women, and he definitely didn´t want to live through that again. It was an interesting phenomenon that was born in Sarada´s late teenage-years, but Sasuke preferred to remain an observer of those.

Sakura talked cheerily. "You know, darling. We should do this more often. Going out. Letting _her_ " – _Yup_ , Sasuke thought, _they definitely had a fight –_ "take care of them."

"… Ah."

"We could also request Naruto to give us some mission together. You know, a long one, just the two of us. Like, a delivering mission to a Land, wide away from here. We can have fun along the way. And they can stay at home, because, _she_ is so _awesome_ with taking care of them, right?"

 _Definitely a fight._ "Sure", Sasuke said. Never disagree with Sakura in this kind of situations. He knew that very well.

.

.

.

They were lying under a sea of stars, pressed together in a big sleeping bag with the campfire next to them. Sousuke was already sleeping on Sarada´s chest, and the twins were rubbing their eyes while they rested on Sarada´s sides.

"… and then we brought the big bear-panda to a police man nearby. I swear, that animal somehow always finds a way to escape the zoo."

"They could make a better zoo."

"Believe me, Saizo, they try, but I think that bear-thing is really smart."

Seizo nodded. "It is", he said. "When Boruto-nii-san and I went to the zoo together, the bear looked at him very angrily. It knew that it was Boruto-nii-san."

"Everyone knows Boruto-nii-san, you idiot. It´s because he´s is Naruto-jiji´s son. Because jiji is the hokage!" Saizo punched the air above him, grinning like his favourite uncle.

"You´re the idiot!"

"Boooys", Sarada chimed in. "Stop the banter, really. It´s getting annoying."

"You sound like papa", Saizo said. Seizo giggled. "For papa everything is annoying."

They laughed together. Especially Sarada. _Really papa, even the boys noticed how grumpy you are._

"Now you insult papa. But you can´t say that in his face, ne?"

Seizo shook his head. "He would glare at us. And papa can get really scary sometimes."

Saizo grinned. "But after the glare he would chuckle at us, haha."

Seizo grinned, too. "Yup."

They yawned. Papa was one of their favourite topics, because he was their secret hero, of course.

"Alright", Sarada said. "I guess it´s time to sleep, now."

"I´ll take first watch!", Saizo declared.

"No", Seizo said. "I want to."

"I was first!"

"But I want, too!"

"Then do it together."

"But it doesnt work that way."

"When we had our first watches as genin, we shared them as well."

Saizo and Seizo looked at each other, then showed each other identical tongues, and turned around.

"Okay", came their resigned voices. Sarada grinned to herself. _They´re too cute!_

"Good night, you two."

"Night."

"Good night, nee-chan!"

Only five minutes later, the twins soft snoring could be heard. Sarada chuckled to herself, then adjusted all of the Boys´ positions and checked the campfire. It would be burned out in about an hour.

Finally, she closed her eyes herself, and relished in the feeling of her brothers body heats.

.

.

.

Hours later, the couple entered their home. It was a beautiful warm summer night, so they decided to walk around the village after dinner. They made a long stop at _just that_ familiar bench. They held a very nostalgic conversation there, sitting on it, with hushed voices and giggles and chuckles, in the darkness under the moon, feeling the warmth of the other by their side. The night out proofed as definitely worth it.

"Are they outside?", came Sakura´s soft voice. Her fury was long forgotten.

When they entered the backyard, their eyes softly gazed at their children in front of them, all curled up in each other. Their faces were content, so became their parents. Sakura leaned her head on Sasukes chest, who held her close with one arm. They stood there together, watching them with happy and peaceful smiles.

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Fin._


	9. When Two will become Three Soon

_9_

 _._

 _._

 _When Two will become Three Soon._

 _._

 _._

 _._

It was as unexpected as it could have ever been.

Sure, they were together for two years now (plus the time after the first ever forehead poke, if someone intends to count it in).

Of course, they were married for a little more than a year now.

And who could argue with it, they _were_ newlyweds, because the first few years always count.

However, Sakura _was_ a well trained medic and she should´ve _known_.

But the realization hit her just as spontaneously.

.

 _._

 _._

Sakura had always had a certain _feel_ for chakra, which came with her knack of controlling it. That´s why she sensed just in that tiny moment in just that tiny second that something strange was happening in her abdomen. The feeling of tightness and overall _intensity_ of her chakra just _there_ was very similar to the one she had when she was on her womanly cycle.

It was nothing very new in particular, just a little more _intense_.

But it was always like that every month. But did she have her cycle at the moment?

A leave for the inner forest showed her – no – that wasn´t the case. Which was weird, because that feeling always came with it.

But when exactly did she have her _last one_?

That´s when the gears in Sakura´s head started spinning, and _oh, the last one was two months back, but just – how?_

And then a hand found its way to an abdomen and chakra in this hand and the feeling of a gentler yet _unfamiliar_ chakra response back to her hand.

And in just that moment, a mouth went to open agape, cheeks blushed, and eyes averted anxiously in a direction of a black haired man who waited patiently for his wife to retreat from behind a tree.

"Sakura?", came the voice of the waiting husband, just because his wife took a little longer than usual.

It was then that Sakura decided that first yes, she suspected something, second she was going to check that suspicion in a proper hospital by their next stop and third, no, she wouldn´t tell Sasuke any of this until she was sure of the evidence.

And sure and confident enough of herself, because _how will he react to that?_

Still, although Sakura was negatively nervous, she was positively excited as well.

"Coming!"

.

.

.

The hospital visit was two weeks before, when she found out, that indeed, yes, she was pregnant.

 _Pregnant._

Sakura still couldn´t adjust to that confirmation. There were mixed feelings everywhere, and every time, and while everything. Was she happy? Sad? Anxious? Was it the hormones?

 _But how could she know,_ because _this was_ _her first?_

And, most important of all, _how to tell him?_

Of course, Sasuke sensed that something was up the second he saw Sakura climbing down the stairs of that hospital two weeks ago. And of course, he immediately asked how she felt and if everything was alright and what the reason behind her sickness in the last days was. She, on the other hand, said that yes, everything was fine, and oh, she just caught a flew.

Sasuke believed a little of it at first, but as Sakura grew more and more thoughtful, and talked less, and somehow avoided his presence by occupying herself with certain things, he himself grew more and more suspicious and distanced himself from her to observe from a little far what was going on with her.

Until this very moment when even Sasuke Uchiha´s patience (which was only reserved for his wife because he was a rather impatient man) faded and he decided to take his steps straight forward like he would usually do.

"You´re hiding something from me."

It was then that Sakura´s eyes blinked once and her head snapped in her husband´s direction. She did her best to contain her increasing heartbeat because _of course he would know_ but her eyes´ sparkle showed everything.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean", Sasuke started for an explanation. "that something´s obviously on your mind you don´t want to share with me." A strangled gasp escaped Sakura´s throat as a uncontrolled confirmation. "Correction. You´re _afraid_ to share with me."

"Tch, that´s …", Sakura wanted to falsify, but there was no argument. "That´s ridiculous, Sasuke-kun, why should I hide something from you?" She sounded way too innocent and casual.

Sasuke stood up to gather more firewood into the campfire, and sat back down again, this time sitting shoulder to shoulder to his wife. He looked straight forward, examining the fire which reflected in his black eye.

"You remember that time when I was afraid to show you what happened on that night of the massacre?"

Sakura blinked at this, turning her head slightly, but her eyes were too afraid to leave the warm and shining invitation for distraction by their campfire. It seemed like the fire also stole her tongue, because she couldn´t use it to form words.

However, her mind wandered to the time Sasuke was referring to. It was a night of heavy rain and stormy winds, and of frustrations and sorrows and pains. Not the nicest déjà vu.

Still, the message was clear.

"You told me, I´m your husband. And that you´re my wife. That there were no boundaries between us anymore, because we´re connected through the strongest bond between a man and a woman."

Sakura gulped, and averted her eyes to the ground, somehow feeling guilt. Especially because of that topic she avoided for weeks now, which was kind of the _proof_ of that bond. It concerned them both, and she hid it _for so long already._

It was then that a hand touched hers, held it tightly, and a thumb stroked her knuckles.

"You´ve been trying to tell me a few times. But something holds you back. I sensed that as well."

Sakura breathed in and out, slowly. This was the time. There was no going back anymore. But still…

"It´s still so very early for something like this."

Her voice trembled a little, and it didn´t went unnoticed by Sasuke.

"For what?", he asked a little softly, for he knew this tone was the right one for this situations. It was also the first time he looked directly in her eyes since this conversation started.

Sakura´s lips curled into a light, self-resentment smile, because yes, she trusted him, and yes, she knew him, but no, she of course still hesitated with everything that concerned him.

Sakura turned her head to her side, to look at her husband in return.

"I don´t know how to tell you, Sasuke-kun. I still don´t."

Their gaze lasted for many long seconds, accompanied by the light cracking sounds of the fire.

"Then show me."

Sakura bit down on her lip, looking to the ground. She hesitated a little, then nodded to herself. Her gaze wandered to their intertwined hands, and she freed her hand of Sasuke´s hold. Instead of retreating back though, she held on his wrist.

"I´m going to show you. But I don´t know how you´ll react to it. That´s what … what I´m afraid of."

Sasuke was irritated, to say the least. It sparkled a little fear inside him as well, but as he saw how Sakura reacted to his own, he held his composure. She was the one who sought for comfort this time, and he was meant to be her pillar of support.

He nodded. "We´ll see then. It´s something you need to show me sooner or later anyways, right?"

Sakura nodded, and looked back at her hand that held Sasuke´s wrist, then back to Sasuke´s eyes again. As she slowly manoeuvred his hand to her abdomen, finally, she waited for his so long awaited reaction.

Sasuke didn´t understand why his hand lay on her lower belly at first, and the clock was ticking. Sakura, on the other hand, bit nervously on her lip, observing his face intensely.

Seconds passed. And became seven.

And then did Sasuke´s eyes widen, his eyebrows rose, and his lips parted slightly, with an increasing heartbeat. He looked so _intensely_ into Sakura´s eyes, that she immediately flinched and avoided his stare. It was too much to handle. And _those damn deep feelings…_

And then there was a soothing movement of a hand on her belly, so soft and strong and light and heavy at the same time. And there were deep black and purple eyes, that held so much shine and happiness and gratitude in them, and that _smile_ , so unusual yet so familiar.

And … _were there the littlest tears in those eyes?_

A sudden pull into a loving embrace, kisses on smooth neck and long hidden tears that were now spilling in pure happiness and relief and joy, …

Then there were those words, which washed them ghosts of fears and worries away.

" _Thank you_."

And there was nothing to be said anymore. Nothing to worry about.

Nothing to feel and see and witness but a couple of two, who would become a family of three soon.

.

.

.

 _Fin._

* * *

 _So I´m happy that I hit 15 favs today with this story. And I´m damn exhausted. And when I´m damn exhausted I get too ... emotional? Well,, this is the result of it anyways,_

 _Thanks for reviews, favs, follows, and story requests. I´m looking forward to more, just so you know! Hehe._

 _~ Beat._


	10. A Man in the House - The Wife

_10_

 _._

 _._

 _A Man in the House – The Wife_

 _._

 _._

 _._

 ** _0._**

 **Finally Home.**

.

.

The announcement he made about three months after the incident with the descendants of the Okutsuki. It was neither loud nor obvious, it was just as him, as quiet as possible, and just as straight forward, indirectly told by the words in his mouth, and send through his heart and a gaze of his eyes.

And showed by that mocking smirk and smile he would only reserve for those who were his dearest, his closest, his loved.

He told her on the road back home. The act was of a casual nature, withholding nothing so much and many as a few words, a look at her, and an answer that held a breathtaking smile and jade eyes and a little blush adorning feminine cheeks. It was an answer of pure happiness and relief.

"I talked to Naruto. My mission is over. I´m going to stay in Konoha."

"That´s great news, Sasuke-kun."

But when the privacy of their home was finally reached, and shoes and cloaks were taken off, and she stepped through the entrance, to go prepare a dinner for celebration in the kitchen, he finally _truly_ announced what his words from quite just before really meant.

"Sakura."

That particular call for her name, in just as that particular stimulation of his voice – so soft, caring and demanding – made her legs and feet stop in their motion but her body and head and eyes turn to meet his own.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?"

Obviously, the invisible seal on his mocking lips he put on them himself refused to let go until she fully turned to face him. The message was clear to her, since she knew what it meant well enough, and so she turned.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?", she repeated, to release his lips from them seals.

There was a moment of shared silence, to gather air in his lungs, to let his lips quirk just the slightest bit upwards, to allow his eyes to shine and crinkle in pure happiness he so badly wanted to share with her – his wife, his lover, his dearest person who waited patiently for him, and for so long as more than ten torturing years of absence.

"Sakura."

He called her name again, for he longed to feel the taste of it on his tongue once more, when she truly stood in front of him, so that his eyes that had seen so much ugly would finally be able to see the most beautiful.

And then there were those words, so needed to say in their real meaning, because the last time was about so many years before. When they were so young, so at the very beginning of their journey together, before their real bonding happened, when their connection just started to build up rapidly.

"I´m home."

Time she needed to understand the meaning behind this state of his, and time she did not need to immediately smile back, to make her eyes shine back at him, to accept his announcement and to know the further words he did not speak out, for he believed deeply that she would understand.

 _Finally._

The smile maintained on her face, and it allowed without any force to let out her answer to his announcement.

"Welcome home."

 _Finally._

.

.

.

 ** _1._**

 **Sleep.**

.

.

One morning after his announcement she decided he had stayed long enough for her to start mocking him a little.

It was when they woke up from their sleep to the soft morning lights of dawn, when she slowly opened those pale eyelids of hers which hid her very, very green irises behind them. Limbs stretched, and her head turned to its side to see her husband had draped bedsheets over his head as he attempted to shield himself from any possible light.

Sakura knew, he hated mornings, though he was awake already.

"You still snore, darling."

She stated it so casually that he wasn´t sure if it was a joke or the truth, if she was amused or annoyed by it. Not that he believed her, or tried to tell her otherwise.

"I do _not_ snore, Sakura. I never did", he said, while letting his right eye peek out of the bedsheets at her. His black orb was always cloudy and dull just after he woke up, she knew that.

Sasuke´s wife turned to her side to face said man better, popping her head up on her right palm. "You do."

The twitch of his visible eyebrow was a very decent proof of his irritation.

"I don´t."

"Do you want me to record your noises while you sleep to proof it?"

It was a challenge he was eager to win, or his natural ego and pride were eager to win. This woman of his thought she was in the position to judge his sleeping habits? Well, he was aware of hers as well.

"Tch." Sasuke´s eyes narrowed at her, just like before he would take his first strike in a fight. "You talk in your sleep."

There the accusation was, and there she flinched and blushed and gasped.

"I-I don´t do that!"

There was a casual blink of male eyes.

"You do."

"Hmph", the woman said and turned to sit on her stomach, while crossing her arms on the bed. Her cheeks were puffed out. "You only made that up because I told you that you snore. That´s a weak counter, Sasuke-kun."

Weak was really a word the Uchiha didn´t like to be described with, so he pulled the bedsheet off his head and revealed his own lying position on his stomach, just like his wife, but without popping up on his arms. His head felt comfortable on that soft pillow after all.

"You talk, Sakura. Or mumble actually. Even Sarada can confirm that."

She let out a splutter and pout and her head fell down on her arms again. Husband and wife laid parallel to each other, so that their eyes met without any border between them.

"I don´t know what´s more embarrassing. That you talk with Sarada about me behind my back, or that I don´t know what I´m saying while I talk in my sleep."

He grunted.

"Hn. She just mentioned it once. And you argue with Yamanaka most times."

Instead of embarrassedly averting her eyes from his, Sakura rose her eyebrows in earnest curiosity of herself.

"With Ino?"

Her husband grunted again, to answer her "yes".

They looked at each other for a little while in astonished silence, after which Sasuke´s mouth quirked into an amused smile and Sakura giggled to herself.

"This is so embarrassing", she said and buried her face deep into the cushions. "What else am I saying?"

There was a little moment of thinking time before her husband answered. His eyes narrowed again, in deep concentration. Yes, he always had a sharp memory, but not in the early minutes of lazy mornings.

"Sometimes you talk with Sarada, Naruto, or Kakashi … or me."

"Mmmmmh…", Sakura whined. She suspected such a habit of hers, because Sarada once told her as well, but she never wanted to believe. Nevertheless, this was her husband, who shared her life with her, so she couldn´t do less than believe him. Also, he never has been a liar, that she knew very well.

"Sometimes you say my name …"

But he had been a tease to her for a very long time now.

"Sasuke-kun!"

That´s when she decided to drag that pillow beneath her head upwards with her and to push it against her teasing husband´s face.

He spluttered beneath her, and grunted, and tried to escape her monster strength.

"Oi!", came the muffled sound of his throat.

The wife was too occupied with giggling to herself to realize that her husband had turned them around on the bed. She was lying beneath him, and he was hovering over her. Sakura Uchiha was the only one who would ever witness Sasuke Uchiha´s red face that came with a pillow being pressed against it.

She giggled, and he glared at her from above.

"You´re annoying."

"And you´re snoriiiiiing!"

.

.

.

 ** _2._**

 **Neat and Clean.**

.

.

Days and weeks passed, so did the time the family spent with each other. The father´s presence had become common knowledge, in both brain and heart. There was no longing sadness and wish for him to finally coming home, but only welcoming satisfaction with his stay. However, the two females weren´t only aware of his presence through their thoughts and feelings. It was the man that made sure his stay was visible and touchable, even if he never truly intended to make it happen.

"Sasuke-kun!" _Oh, no! Not again!_

It was those times when the only man in the house was on his well deserved holidays, thus achieving free time he never had asked for. And when Sasuke Uchiha had occupied himself for hours in the training grounds with his fighting, even he as one of the strongest shinobi on earth was getting bored at some point. He would stroll on Konoha´s streets after that, then go to the cemetery and in the end, would end up in his apartment again.

But what was to do there for a husband who was alone at home?

"What are you doing in my kitchen?!"

The pink haired wife stood in – as she said – _her_ kitchen´s doorway, with bags in hands and a disbelieving – and for once annoyed – expression plastered on her face.

Her husband turned his head in her direction and blinked indifferently, while standing there with a wooden spoon in hand. There was no reason he could think of as to why she looked at him like that.

"I´m making dinner."

Under any other circumstances, Sakura would find her husband adorable in this state – with that spoon in hand and his right sleeve rolled up – , but not when her kitchen _didn´t look like her kitchen._

The woman was bewildered. "I can see that! But _what did you do to my kitchen?!_ "

Dark eyebrows knitted together, and eyes averted themselves to the soup in the pot. "What do you mean?", Sasuke asked while mixing the soup with his spoon in hand.

"Look around! You _rearranged_ everything!"

To be honest, no one would have noticed those tiny little changes in the Uchiha kitchen – with the only exception of the mother and wife of the household of course. She was the one who spent more time than the other two family members with cleaning and cooking, after all.

The first thing Sakura pointed at, was her precious vase with her beloved flowers in it.

"Why did you put them in front of the window?"

"Plants need light to grow. You put them into the shadows before, it was stupid."

"They are solanaceous plants, they don´t need much light!"

"…Hn."

The pinkette ignored the tiny dumbfounded flinch of her husband and grabbed the vase to put it back to its old place. While she was at it, she also draped the tablecloth – which she knew her husband was annoyed of, because it would always cling to his clothes when he stood up or raised his arm – on the dining table and rearranged the memos on the fridge.

However, Sasuke was sure to comment on that last part.

"You mess them up again."

Sakura stopped in her movements and turned her pouting head to look at her husband, who started adding noodles into the soup.

"I have my own ways to organize things, thank you. I don´t need to put everything in a perfect ninety-degree angle like _someone else_."

Sasuke only spared Sakura a side glance with his left eye, but left it at that.

As the wife was finished with the notes, she approached her little spice-shelve that stood on the counter next to the stovetop. "I can´t believe you even changed those –", Sakura said and stopped, eyed the little bottles with the different flavours intensely, and –

" _Sasuke-kun_ , you arranged those spices _alphabetically_?!"

The husband nodded, as if it being the most common thing in the world, and maybe being a little proud about it. "It´s easier to find the right ones like that."

Shaking her head dumbfoundedly, Sakura spoke, "Darling, you can see by their consistency and colour which spices they are – heck, even by their _smell_ if you have to make sure!"

"I´m using _katon_ almost every day. My olfactory senses aren´t working as good as they used to be."

"Yeah, because the only thing you can smell and taste is smoke", Sakura remarked sarcastically. As Sasuke gave her an indifferent look, though, her face turned into a concerned one.

"Really?"

"Ah. But only if I use it too often, it becomes harder to taste and smell. It normalizes after a few hours, give or take. The more I use it, though, the more increase the consequences."

Sakura blinked, and put her hand between her husband´s shoulder blades. "I should also check on your lungs every few weeks …"

"The smoke and fire gathers in front of my mouth", Sasuke said, to lessen the pinkette´s worry. "It only happens a few times that a little bit lands in it. But nothing ever enters my insides beyond my throat."

Sakura nodded, and sighed relieved. The hand that lay on her husband´s back just before was held in a fist in front of her chest. "That´s good to hear. I was just thinking about Sarada …"

"Don´t worry. I wouldn´t have taught her that jutsu if I knew it would harm her", Sasuke reassured her, while adding tomatoes into the pot.

"I know."

There she was, smiling lovingly up to him. Whenever their child was the topic of their conversation, both of the parents lost themselves in a content state in their life which made them forget everything that surrounded them. They were lost in each other´s eyes, and their own kind of communication started – a way of understanding only the both of them shared.

They stood like that …

…

until a burning spraying sound reached their ears.

"Oh, the tomatoes!"

"Damnit …"

"…"

"…"

"You know, Sasuke-kun, now I can smell some burning smoke as well. But I´d rather not taste it."

"Tch."

"Awww, don´t pout li – wait, don´t use the white washcloths! Take the black – stop, you know what? Let me do the cooking. Why don´t you go outside to take a walk, hm?"

"…"

 _(… Neat freak, shannaro!)_

.

.

.

 ** _3._**

 **Cloak and Sword.**

.

.

Whenever he was home, they were lying somewhere else, but definitely not in their provided place.

The first time it happened, Sakura just came home from a morning shift in the hospital – about two hours too late. The woman sighed out loud to the welcoming calm and warmth of her entry hall. After she had took off her shoes and had put her bag on the shelve in the hall, she made her way to the bathroom to wash her hands. As she noticed a pair of way bigger shoes than hers or her daughter´s laying in the entry, she smiled contently to herself.

The bathroom was occupied by someone else – _him_ , because Sarada wasn´t home yet. There was a sound of showering water and short contemplation of intruding, and a reminder of times when she _did_ intrude and received a not so nice glare – so she turned around and walked to the kitchen to wash her hands there. Sakura knew her husband was sensitive about such little details after a session of training, just as she was well aware of the fact that he said he would train this morning.

So, Sakura entered the kitchen, poured herself a cup of water and sat on one of the chairs by the dining table, sighing and huffing with closed eyes. She was exhausted, and she needed a break. The cold and clear liquid finally entered her dry throat, and she let out a relieved sigh. When she opened her eyes, she spotted some familiar items.

The cloak of her husband lay careless on the chair next to her, and his katana leaned on the wall.

Sakura blinked, twice, and lovingly smiled to herself.

There was a tender stroke on a black cloak, hands that picked that cloak up and held it to the owner´s chest adoringly, fingers that gripped tightly on a sword and, lastly, a loving wife who brought the belongings of her husband to the place that were reserved only for them.

.

.

The other time it happened, it was her daughter who drew attention to the abandoned belongings.

"Ma- _ma_ ", Sarada called her mother. The adult had to refrain from her laughing, since she knew Sarada had become a very touchy and moody teenage girl in her last months of very young age. This knowledge made it even harder for her to hold back her giggle. Teenage girls were always an amusing and refreshing sight to see for Sakura, especially concerning her own daughter.

"What is it, Sarada?"

The – _currently_ – only heir to the Uchiha stomped towards her mother, with a cloak and sword in separate hands. There was an annoyed cringe in between her eyebrows – a heredity of one of her parents.

"He´s letting his things lie around all over the flat again!"

" ´ _He´_ is sitting within your clear view."

This time, Sakura cough-hid her giggle. Sitting next to her was her husband, eyebrows raised in a not quite appreciative manner. This wasn´t the first time Sarada referred to her father in third person _although_ he was around to witness it. It only happened when she was really upset about something. She never addressed him directly, but rather talked with her mother about what upset her.

"Now, now, Sarada. That is not the way you should talk to your father."

"If I told him he wouldn´t understand anyways!"

"If you never tell him, he _won´t_ understand."

Mother and daughter held an intense staring contest until one of them had to surrender.

"Papa", the girl said. The sound of her voice challenged the strict one of her mother when she was in the mood. "I know that you are very tired after training, but I think you are still in the condition _not_ to leave your things all around the place afterwards, am I right?"

Sasuke blinked, pinched his nose in a little bit of abashed concentration – as if remembering something – and took his things from his daughter´s hands. Just as Sarada grinned victoriously and Sasuke was about to stand up, Sakura grabbed her husband´s belongings to herself, with a smile plastered on her face.

"You two are just too adorable!" With those words said, Sakura stood up, and walked towards the door.

Father and daughter looked dumbfounded after the Uchiha mother, only one of them able to speak up.

"But mama, weren´t you just defending me?"

Sakura turned around, and grinned amusedly.

"There´s no way your papa is going to change that habit, Sarada. Before and after you were born, it was always the same, and it will be the same." She grinned sheepishly. "We had our little quarrels about that before, but even _the_ Uchiha Sasuke is a simple man sometimes."

"Hn."

The parents shared a knowing look to remind themselves of those first years they shared together as lovers.

To remind themselves of all the things they learned about each other and haven´t forget until this day.

To remind themselves of the very truth that they – indeed – held knowledge about each other no one else is ever able to earn.

.

.

.

 _Fin._

* * *

 ** _Author´s note:_** _So the big difference between Sarada´s and this version is that Sakura actually remembers things about Sasuke she had experienced and known about him way before whereas Sarada had to accommodate to Sasuke´s overall new presence in their home. I earnestly hope I could portray that for even just a little. Also, I really enjoyed those typical and kind of traditional husband-wife-relationship and issues between those two. I miss them in the overall Naruto-world. Let this be a sneak-peek into their domestic and simple life._

 _If you´ve found any errors, grammar mistakes and such, please feel free to contact me._


	11. Hope, Believe, Reality

_11._

 _._

 _._

 _Hope, Believe, Reality_

 _._

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 _Requested by sorimashi2 on tumblr_

 _Beta read by Ombree_

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 _._

 _._

Fed by grief and sorrow, rain planned to crash the war torn village beneath it – or what was left of it. The grey clouds felt old, sick, and weak, although they just started to emerge from the horizon behind the Hokage´s faces. They believed they were no use to the universe anymore, so they longed to escape into the deep corners of the world no one else would ever find them in, but the rain managed to hold them down and kept them in their state of shame.

The clouds held an odd resemblance to her.

Never had she felt any grief such as this kind eating her from the inside out, but it was not only the grief that attacked her. She was stabbed in her back, front, and sides from the outside. Danger lurked over every stone she stepped on, enemies she once recognized as friends. They weren´t endangering her life per se. It was those wounds deep inside of her they poorly attempted to heal. Their instinct to comfort made them her enemies, since it hurt. They couldn´t support, since they couldn´t understand. It hurt.

No one could understand.

Only _him._

And _his life_ was the one that literally was on the line.

It was this dangerous state he was in that placed _her_ in this miserable situation.

Her generation had dismissed the warnings, had not taken them seriously. She and her comrades grew up in peaceful times, not being able to get to know true danger on their own. She always believed that she was prepared for all things to come but was fooled by oversized courage in their young and wild years. Clinging on the dream to become Hokage, she might have even done way more than her fellow shinobi. Day after day she trained for hours to fulfil that goal of hers, to be the one to protect those within the borders of this land, and even to protect those beyond. The determination settled in her mind and soul years ago and struggled to fade the tiniest bit.

It was what destroyed her in the end.

She had been too weak. She had lacked in experience. She had not been able to protect.

She was an utmost _failure_.

 _´You are the only thing I did right.´_

They were _his_ words. He believed them to be true. But believe never meant to be _reality_.

 _Believe_ wasn´t as cruel as _reality._

Reality was what made him the stoic man he was. Reality was what darkened him. Reality _destroyed him._

And finally _her._

The only thing left for him was to latch onto belief. He believed because it meant _hope_. That is what differed them.

In her reality, there wasn´t place for hope anymore. Because reality conquered.

He was about to _die_.

Because she couldn´t _protect him._

Those memories etched her brain, her heart. Until this day, weeks after the incident, the scenario was crystal clear in her imagination.

There they had been, fighting those monsters he warned them against. He fought side by side with his friend, both equalling in the world´s greatest strength. They struggled to keep the upper hand in the battle, and it had been only a matter of time to welcome victory. The Hokage ordered the other shinobi to evacuate the ones in urgent need, and so they did.

She had been one of them.

It happened when she was helping a citizen. Their enemies had seen the red of her eyes, and immediately knew. It was a heredity of her clan but more important, it was a heredity of _him_.

They had known about his weakness, so they had attacked _her_.

And they had known what he was about to do, so they had attacked _him_.

He wanted to safe her. He had done what she had not been able to. Weakened and bruised from earlier fights, there was just as little strength left in her as to stand on her feet without falling.

He had _protected_ his d _aughter_.

The only thing she remembered was the scream of her name and the scream of _his_ name in return.

And the blood.

 _His blood._

She shook her head to escape those memories. She had mourned enough, and there would be still much mourning to save tears for the days to come.

Her feet carried her over the damaged streets of her home village. Destruction existed in every little corner of Konoha, for the battle occurred only a few weeks ago. The injured were first to be mended, second came the village´s infrastructure. She approached the Hokage faces – or rather what was left of them. There were craters where they once majestically had looked over the whole village and beyond. She jumped into one crater of them, and eyed the village under her feet. It made her regret climbing up there immediately.

Everything looked far more devastated from above.

"Looks bad, doesn´t it?"

She flinched and whipped around. The death battle had made her much more conscious than before, even if it was too late in her opinion.

"Seventh…"

The whiskered man approached her. She observed him while he was set on looking down over his village, seeking in every detail he could miss if he wasn´t careful enough. The older man gestured her to sit down next to him. His legs were crossed, and his eyes looked like they were witnessing the torture of someone who was dear to him, greyish blue, old and wounded. He looked tired and plainly, sad.

"This village", Naruto started, "has been destroyed several times since I was born. This one marks the third time."

Sarada unconsciously hugged her legs to herself after she felt a chill creeping up on her body. She has heard about the dark history of the village, but to witness it in person was something entirely different. That she learned well enough.

"And each time … there were _sacrifices_ to make." Naruto didn´t directly looked at the girl beside him, but observed her from the side. "And sometimes … there are _almost_ sacrifices to make."

Sarada shook her head, holding back her tears. "His condition worsens. Even mama said that." Her voice almost cracked.

Naruto nodded. He tried not to show, but there was sorrow and worry written all over his body. "Sakura-chan knows best of course. But she also knows that there is always hope to hold onto."

"Tch", Sarada said. "Only dreamers believe in hope. Hope isn´t reality."

There was a grunting noise coming from the Hokage´s throat. He might have chuckled, if not for the condition they were in. Also, it held not amusement, but _nostalgia_ in it.

"Now you sound like _him_ when he was younger, believe it."

Sarada turned her head towards the older man, who looked at her in return. "Sometimes …", she averted her eyes away from the blue ones, to gather her thoughts. "Sometimes I feel like this is a bad dream. A nightmare. Too much of it."

Naruto looked to the front again, residing in his own private thoughts. He nodded. "That was what he and I sometimes felt as well. It´s not easy to progress these things, to digest the feelings that come with them. They are things we only hear of. We think we can sympathize with the people involved in those situations as war or death, but are overwhelmed if it hits us directly."

He glanced at her from the side.

"Especially for Uchiha."

Sarada gasped and flinched, and suddenly time stopped. There was no wind she could feel, no birds she heard singing, only destruction to see. And so, _so_ much _hurt_ burning inside of her…

"I heard Kakashi Sensei filled you in on …", Naruto made a dismissive gesture, "Well, you know."

"Yeah…"

It was right after she visited her father for the fourth time in the intensive care unit of the temporary medicinal camp. He had laid there for weeks, lifeless and motionless. There was the beeping sound of the monitors to hear, but that was all. The mighty, respected and feared Uchiha Sasuke had almost lost the battle with death.

The muscles of her legs gave in, pulling her body to the ground. Her arms fell over her father´s upper body, her tears soaked in his clothes which were already wet with red blood, since this was the ninth operation after he was injured. Although the air was filled with the vomiting scent of iron, she still was able to sense her father´s smell. She learned that day how much she missed it, even though she was able to smell it.

The memory made the girl shudder. One hand took her glasses off, the other one rubbed at her eyes, pressing them tears back that were trying to spill out.

Kakashi had pulled her back from her father after watching the scene unfolding in front of him, since he could only endure it for the littlest time. Sakura stood right next to him, trying not to cry into her hands. She always had been strong, but her only true weakness was that of her family. This was the first time she broke down in front of her daughter. She didn´t know if her tears were meant for the threatening death of her husband, or the sorrow of her daughter who would maybe loose her father soon, but it was probably for both.

When Kakashi set Sarada down on a nearly damaged bench wide away from the camps, he noticed the oh so familiar change of Sharingan in her red eyes. It happened the second time, for he knew the first time was directly after Sasuke was attacked while shielding his daughter. Sarada´s eyes had changed then, followed by an explosion of her Susanoo. The creature she had summoned unconsciously, the consequence of her rage. Up to this day Sarada couldn´t remember how she was able to do that. She used her newly awakened power to put her father´s injured body gently to the ground. Her mother had made her way to them immediately after sensing a clenching feeling in her chest. Sakura had known what was awaiting her, but at the sight of her husband she could not hold herself back. She jumped forward, cradling the male body in her arms. Her whole body glowed within the left pieces of her healing chakra, and enveloped her husband´s body into it. The more she understood how drastic the situation really was, the more desperate she became. It was the cries and screams and pleas that still rang in Sarada´s ears that sometimes made her Sharingan awaken again.

 _"_ _Anata!"_

 _"_ _You just came back, you just made it home!"_

 _"_ _You can´t let everything behind you like that!"_

 _"_ _Sasuke-kun!"_

 _"_ _Think of the boys, do you hear me?!"_

 _"_ _You promised me you would stay by my side for this!"_

 _"_ _You promised me that we could finally watch our children grow up together!"_

 _"_ _Don´t break your promise!"_

 _"_ _Come back to me …"_

 _"_ _Please!"_

 _"…_ _Please …"_

 _"_ _S-sasuke-k-kun… plea…se_ …"

Sarada shuddered at the memory, and finally allowed a tear to slid along her cheek, to which her hand immediately reacted. There was no time for tears. No excuse. Her mother was overwhelmed by the whole situation, even though she tried not to show it. This time, it was Sarada´s task to stay strong for her family.

A hand found its way to her shoulder, and so her head turned towards the owner.

"Did Kakashi tell you … _everything_?"

 _Ah … the conversation …_

Sarada was back within her memories again. Kakashi first declined to talk about anything related to the massacre and the Mangekyou Sharingan, but it was Sarada´s words that made him feel responsible for telling her right then and there.

 _"_ _I … want to understand him, understand what he´s been through. What made him the person he is now and why. He has never told me because he said I wasn´t ready. But given his situation … he might never be able to tell me …"_

She had started sobbing at that point. It was a sight Kakashi would´ve wanted to forget forever.

 _"…_ _B-but … I want to … I want to look at him with understanding like mama does … I want to know who that person really is … as long as … as long as he is still_ _ **here**_ _…"_

 _"_ _I want to_ _ **see**_ _him for what he is … but not after I cannot even look at his face when he is buried beneath the ground…"_

From that point on a tale of a nightmare she would´ve never considered possible followed. She had heard about the massacre before, but only little bits. To listen to the words of a man who witnessed it at the time, who was the master of the child who was abandoned by everything when he was seven … Sarada let her tears flow that day, but she never had the guts to visit her father´s tent again.

This happened the day before, and was since then on her mind constantly.

"Yes … everything."

Naruto nodded, and retrieved his hand.

"And … how have you been dealing with it?"

Sarada contemplated, then shrugged. She tried to make it look nonchalantly, but it came out stiff.

"You´re doing the same mistake like Sasuke."

This grabbed the girl´s attention, so she turned her head to look at Naruto.

"He always tried to deal with his problems on his own, but that was his worst mistake. If he would have tried to figure things out with people in the beginning, he could´ve spared the whole world a lot of trouble."

The Seventh Hokage grinned.

"Especially your mother."

The Hokage stretched a little, leaning on his outstretched arms and hands behind him. He needed someone to talk to these days to release the burdens on his heart as well, it seemed. Sarada stayed still throughout his whole speech. She didn´t feel like talking anyways.

"But I guess this is kinda a family trait, believe it. Your uncle was like that, too, and he learned far too late like your father to rely on others. They dealt with everything on their own, but for different reasons. Itachi didn´t want to bother anyone with that burden of his, and Sasuke thought no one could understand him. They were both so wrong."

Silence.

A pause.

"It … scares me…"

Naruto nodded.

"I believe that."

"It sounds so … _surreal…_ ", Sarada paused. "I get that the Uchiha kind of … own a deep love. I only realized after yesterday why papa looks at me like … like _that._ "

Naruto listened patiently.

"Or the way he looks at mama sometimes. She even said once to me that she believes his love is far deeper than even hers. That her feelings could never match with his. I never understood that. He sometimes … seems so cold and distant …"

"And do you know why he does that?"

It was something she has never understood. That´s why this question caught her off guard. There was a little spark of hope inside of her. A spark that promised her she was one step further in understanding her papa.

Sarada shook her head.

"Remember that … _day_ few weeks ago", Naruto instructed. Those memories brought her only pain, but she did as she was told. It was written all over her face.

"Not quite the most pleasant memory, is it?"

She immediately shook her head, as if to clear it from the thought.

"It´s something you´d never want to experience again, right?"

Sarada stilled.

 _Of course._

"Sasuke went through enough loss of people who were precious to him. The closer he gets to people, the deeper the hurt and the loss becomes. He knows that. He knows that all too well."

Eyes met, and through them Sarada understood the deep brotherly bond her father shared with her idol. Knowledge was hidden in those eyes, knowledge about her father she still lacked as his daughter.

"It takes a lot to scare Sasuke. To make him feel weak and useless. His biggest fear is hidden in his childhood years, back in the days he will never forget." The Hokage´s eyes softened, in understanding, sympathy and empathy. This fear was something he shared with his best friend, even if his could never match with Sasuke´s. "He is most scared of losing his family, Sarada. Because his love for them has grown so much he knows that if anything happens to them he wouldn´t be able to handle it a second … or third time. It might be even the _only_ thing Sasuke is scared of in this life. That´s why he has such an urgent natural drive to protect his family. To protect _you_."

 _To protect her._

 _´You are the only thing I did right.´_

 _´Because you exist, Sarada.´_

 _´Until next time.´_

Lips firmly pressed against each other, teeth clenching them to one line. Tears spilled down uncontrollably, and a body curled together.

"Papa…"

She sobbed her father´s name, to call him for protection. She needed someone to shield her from the sorrow, the sadness, the grief, the mourning. Whatever the situation might have been, it was always her father who stood straightest, strongest and proudest among all.

She always asked herself how he was able to act like that.

How he was able to master in both body and mind control.

It was the loss and grief, the hot fire and hammer blows that formed the hard metal he was built of, the man he was now.

"Your dad is strong, Sarada", the Hokage soothed her. His hand lay on her shoulder, again. "He is one of the strongest. And he is still breathing. He will stand up on his own and brood for the rest of his life, like he did in the past."

A pause.

"How … can you say that for sure?"

Sarada realized in this moment, that if there was hope and dreams that were able to turn into reality, it was hidden in those blue eyes with laugh crinkles and the grin surrounded by whisker marks.

"Because he is my rival and my best friend, believe it."

The grin widened, and a mischievous sparkle stretched in Naruto´s eyes. There was a memory hidden in them, from long, long ago.

"And because we still have to fight _our last_ _battle_ out. Sasuke would never miss that. That jerk is way too stubborn for that, believe it."

"And also", Naruto started. The Hokage grinned so wide it was hardly possible to imagine such brightness radiating from the man. He showed her a thumbs up, and patted Sarada´s head.

"Because you and your family exist, Sarada."

 _He would never dare to leave them, because he knew the pain that came with it._

Gasps and tiny chuckles escaped, and the sun finally peeked at the girl from within those grey clouds. It seemed like the rain chose to delay its visit for another time.

 _Hope._

 _Believe._

 _Reality._

If there were people who achieved to hold onto that hope and believe and make it reality, it was her parents and the Seventh Hokage that were the evidence for it. These people overcame things human minds were too weak to contemplate. Who dared to claim that her father wasn´t able to win this battle as well?

Also, the Hokage was right. Sasuke was still not dead. He lived and breathed, and he would do a lot more, if he was given the chance.

She hoped for that. And she believed in that.

Sarada held strongly onto that _dream_ , so that one day, it would become _reality_.

And if that reality was given one day, she would finally be able to confront her father about the history of their clan.

.

.

.

 _Fin._

* * *

 _ **Beat´s Note** : This was my first ever fic request on Tumblr (Sarada finds out about the massacre and seeks comfort by Naruto´s side). I had this headcanon that Sarada might talk to Naruto after knowing about the massacre and all, but would still need to figure things out with Sasuke since this is not only clan business but most important father-daughter business as well._


End file.
